The Life of an Adept
by Agest
Summary: The story of Isaac, Mia, and the Elemental Lighthouses is more than just battling monsters and exploring dungeons. Follow the life of our adept heroes in their journey across Weyard, overcoming hardships in their path and navigating the boundaries of friendship and love as they unravel the secrets of the world and discover the true nature of their quest. Mudshipping.
1. Purpose

How to read dialogue in my stories:

\- "Quote" marks means someone is speaking

\- _Italics_ indicate thoughts

Legal Stuff:

\- I don't own Golden Sun or the affiliate characters

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Purpose**

Mia looked up at the overcast sky, darkened by clouds, an omen of what was still to come on her journey to protect the elemental lighthouses. Wringing the water out of her cerulean hair, she stood by the entrance to the town inn, gazing out at the downpour that had caught her unprepared, drenching her with torrents of water before she found the shelter of the inn.

The cold wind bit at her skin, even through Mia's thick Imilan robes as she stood under the overhang by the inn's entrance, illuminated through the window by the dancing fire of the fireplace inside. She looked like a mess and felt like a mess too, not really sure sure why she was in this town in the first place.

 _What was its name again…?_ Mia wondered, leaning back against the wooden wall next to the door. _Atlas...Altin...something like that…._ The unfamiliar town lay nested along a mountain ridge, secluded from the rest of the continent. The dreary town was no stranger to wet weather; In fact it was partially underwater when Mia and her friends had first arrived there. Apparently the mines near town had flooded due to the awakening of some kind of ancient statues deep within their depths.

It had been a few days since the flooding subsided thanks to the intervention of Mia and her companions who defeated the water spewing statutes, allowing the water to dissipate. Though the town was still recovering from the effects of the flooding, the locals were grateful for the assistance and offered Mia's party free rooms at the inn for the duration of their stay.

The breeze picked up and blew swiftly past Mia, causing her to shiver as her soaked clothes amplified the chilling effect of the wind. The old wooden door creaked open next to her, catching her attention as she turned to see the blonde haired boy Isaac standing in the entryway eyeing the soaking water adept with a hint of concern.

"You'll end up catching a cold out here," Isaac said to Mia as he stood in the doorway, not leaving the warmth of the inn. Feeling the concern of her traveling companion, Mia nodded in agreement and took one last look at the bleak skyline before heading inside after Isaac.

Despite the weather, the atmosphere inside the inn was a positive one, townspeople being happy to have things back to normal, without the threat of the floods stopping work and displacing people from their homes. A quick glance around in the flickering firelight revealed Garet, the fire adept of the group, chatting with some of the mine workers and telling them the incredible story of Kiloma and how he had saved the town from being turned into trees.

Ivan sat at another table with a few empty seats around it and some food from the inn as well as another plate that was presumably Isaac's before he had gone to find Mia. The heat from the inside was in stark contrast to the chilly outside and Mia stopped shivering after stepping into the inn. Ivan looked up from his food and gave Mia a friendly smile and wave as he noticed her, which she returned before Isaac spoke up again.

"Would you like something to eat with us?" the boy asked, indicating the table Ivan was sitting at. Mia considered the offer, but ultimately declined, walking over to Ivan as well and letting both boys know that she was tired and really just felt like resting.

Ivan shrugged and let her go as Isaac followed the cerulean haired girl upstairs to her room. "It's been an exhausting journey so far," he commented as they climbed the stairwell to their rooms. "If you need extra rest, just let us know," the blonde boy added as they stopped in front of Mia's room.

"I should be all right," Mia replied to ease Isaac's worries about her wellbeing.

"You should dry those clothes out instead of leaving them wet like that," Isaac pointed out. "If you go get changed, I'll bring them down and hang them by the fire for you," he offered.

Mia smiled at the thoughtfulness of the blonde boy. "Thanks Isaac," she accepted with a smile as she slipped into her room to change into some other clothes.

Glad to be free of the drenched robes, Mia found another pair of clothes to put on before walking back to the door where Isaac was waiting. Opening the door, Mia handed the robe she was previously wearing to Isaac, who draped it over his arm. "Sorry," she stated, apologizing for having him take care of her wet clothes. "I really appreciate it though," Mia added with a smile.

"No problem Mia," Isaac replied with a small chuckle. "Get some rest tonight while you can since we need to get moving again soon," he told her.

Mia nodded as her smiled faded somewhat, being reminded of the purpose of their journey. "I will," she promised Isaac as he turned to leave with a wave of his arm. Isaac's footsteps slowly faded from Mia's ears as he disappeared down the stairwell, leaving her to the sounds of raindrops hitting the roof.

Walking over to the bed along the wall, Mia allowed herself to fall backward onto it, being absorbed by the blanket with her arms outstretched to either side. Isaac's words had put the thought of the lighthouses back in her mind, a sombre reminder of her duty.

 _A duty that I failed in…_ the water adept thought to herself as a flash of lightning outside the window imitated the bright glow of the Mercury Lighthouse with its beacon ignited. Not wanting to see the visual imagery of her failure again, Mia raised one arm to cover her eyes as she lay there considering the circumstance that brought her to this point.

 _I'm not sure what I expected when starting this journey...sometimes the goal seems so far away and we're so off track...I mean...the next lighthouse is halfway across the world._ The rain continued to fall in sheets, the constant sound accompanied by an occasional clap of thunder in the background. _This quest is redemption for me. The least I can do after failing in my sacred duty to protect the lighthouse is to help stop the others from falling to the same fate._

A draft of warm air entered her room from the air ducts built into the wall, connected to the fireplace in the common area downstairs. Mia remembered the first night in the room when she was surprised to find how much warmer such a simple adaptation could make. Apparently it was a modified version of the ventilation systems used in the mines to keep them habitable with fresh air in their depths.

 _Imil could really use a heating system like this,_ Mia thought, remembering cold winter nights spent huddling under covers back at home. _A lot of people get sick each winter from the cold, and it would be great to have an effective way of heating our homes to help prevent that_ , she considered, making a mental note to bring it up to the village elders after returning to Imil.

Grabbing the blanket on the bed to cover herself with it, Mia took her hand away from her face and glanced over at the wall where the duct allowed the air in. _Of course now that the lighthouse is lit, its waters are able to keep people healthy as well….which is strange considering that's a good thing for Imil._

Mia shrugged at the thought, knowing that it was beside the point. "Just because there was one good side effect doesn't mean we should just let the rest of the lighthouses go," she whispered to herself, echoing the words Isaac said to the group after using the lighthouse's water to save a dying forest.

Mia didn't know Isaac that well at the time since it was only shortly after she joined the group of adepts on their journey to save the lighthouses, but even then she felt a hint of uncertainty from him as he said those words after watching the healing powers of the lighthouse reinvigorate the entire forest.

Mia lay there on the bed, her thoughts her only companion as she considered the unthinkable chain of events that led to her being here in an unfamiliar mining town across the continent from Imil.

 _I wasn't at all prepared to ascend that lighthouse,_ Mia knew, holding her had above her face and staring at it absentmindedly while thinking back to her last few days in Imil. _It's all thanks to Isaac, Garet, and Ivan that I even reached the top to see what was going on._ Mia recognized that it was likely their kindness and willingness to help her that ultimately drove her decision to join them in protecting the remaining lighthouses.

A lot had happened since then despite the relatively short amount of time she had been with the group. _What has it been? Three weeks? Four?_ Mia had started to lose track of the days after traveling with the boys, focused instead on their next objective and overcoming the obstacles in their path. Since the bridge to Kalay was out of commission, the group had needed to take a long route around and through these mountains in order to make any progress toward the Venus Lighthouse in the south.

 _We've been set back multiple times...a village full of tree-people, an evil forest, and now a town flooded by statues...It's like I'm living in a fairytale,_ Mia surmised with a sarcastic smirk. _Next we'll probably be fighting dragons or something silly like that_ , she decided, dismissing any thoughts of what the next obstacle could be, deciding it wasn't worth worrying about until it appeared.

Mia clutched the blanket on the bed closer to herself, appreciating the fact she was sleeping in a bed again. It wasn't often so far in the journey that they had been in town at night, able to sleep in the safety and comfort of an inn. Often the group found themselves camping outside near the road as they traveled.

 _I haven't even needed to be on watch since we came to town_ , Mia realized, grateful for the chance to catch up on sleep instead of guarding the camp out in the middle of nowhere. Watches were mostly just time to sit and reflect on anything that came to mind as Mia was doing now, though it often devolved into remembering the flash of light from the Mercury beacon and a reminder of her failure to protect the lighthouse she had sworn to guard.

Mia's eyes closed as she lay in bed, letting her arm drop to her side as she curled up with the blanket next to her. With a deep breath she calmed herself, pushing away the imagery of the lighthouse in her mind as it began to resurface again. _I used to hate the idea of camping out there. It was awkward and I wasn't used to it at all,_ Mia reflected about the traveling they had done so far.

With only two tents between the four adepts, Mia had to share with one of the boys, a thought that didn't cross anyone's mind until they were setting up camp at night. _That first night was embarrassing,_ she recalled thinking back to how difficult it was to sleep with a boy she just met in such close proximity. Garet and Ivan were already sharing a tent together at that point, defaulting Mia to share a tent with Isaac.

Mia stretched out on the bed again, unaccustomed to all the extra space after sleeping on the road for so many nights. _I think that as much as I like Garet and Ivan, Isaac was probably the easiest to be with in that situation. It probably helped that he seemed just as embarrassed as I was about the situation instead of cracking jokes like Garet,_ Mia remembered with a smile.

 _I had such a hard time sleeping back then...and it really wasn't all that long ago,_ the cerulean haired girl continued down her line of thinking. _Now I'm just used to it...it's actually a little weird NOT to have him nearby at night,_ Mia thought as she rolled over to look at the rest of the empty room, devoid of the blonde boy she had grown accustomed to over their time together.

The dark room felt cold and empty to her, despite the warm air from the vent on the wall as she watched the shadows from the moonlight sit still on her surroundings and thought back to the nights camped out under the stars. The lack of shadowy movement from the campfire outside the tent, the crackling sound of the fire; they were both missing and made the night feel unusual to Mia as she lay in comfort on the bed. _I even miss when Isaac snores sometimes,_ she thought, grinning to herself.

Holding the bunched up end of her blanket up to her chest, Mia felt warm as the rest of her body was covered by the cloth. Closing her eyes again, she lay in bed and let her mind drift to another night under the stars as she slowly felt herself falling asleep.

…

Mia's heavy eyelids opened slightly in the darkness of the room, still half asleep as her blurred vision could only make out shapes of gray and black around her. Groggy, she turned over in bed and closed her eyes again willing herself to go back to sleep as she grabbed the pillow with her hands, hugging it tightly.

The continuous sound of rain filled Mia's ears, unrelenting over the last few hours. Her eyes opened once more as unconscious thoughts began to fade from Mia's mind, replaced by normal thought processes as she awakened from her slumber. Feeling slightly more awake, the cerulean haired girl rolled in bed again and lay flat on her back, looking up at the dark ceiling.

Yawning sleepily, Mia's mind focused in on the rain and how the sudden downpour started shortly after the ancient water statues were defeated and the floodwater had dissipated. _It was a stroke of bad luck for the villagers,_ Mia considered as she remembered how upset the townspeople were to go from flooding to more rain.

Unable to sleep again, Mia lay still in bed and smiled as she remembered the first drops coming down from the sky on her way back from buying herbs at the reopened apothecary. The irony of the rain starting at that exact moment, just as the villagers were recovering from the water damage, was not lost on the cerulean haired girl. _It would be disheartening if I was in their place and that just happened,_ Mia reflected.

As her eyes began to better adjust to being awake again in the darkness of the night, Mia could make out the rest of the room in more detail. The outline of her mace rested neatly against a wooden cabinet and a bag full of supplies for their trip sat undisturbed in the corner of the room. Conspicuously missing was Mia's traditional Imilan robe that she normally wore in the daytime, and she recalled that it was drying out near the fire in the common area after she returned to the inn soaking wet.

Rolling over in bed, Mia tried to close her eyes again and fall asleep to no avail. For some reason, sleep just would not come back to her. _Perhaps I should just go grab my robe if I'm unable to sleep anyway,_ Mia considered, her mind returning to earlier in the evening when Isaac kindly offered to hang it up to dry for her, causing a smile to appear on her face.

The idea lingered in Mia's mind, growing stronger as she lay there thinking about it until it became close to a compulsion. Sighing at her own inability to ignore the thought and go back to sleep, she slipped out of bed and grabbed another robe to wear downstairs.

Stepping out into the hall, Mia glanced over to the stairs, ensuring the coast was clear, and walked softly along the wooden floors to avoid accidentally waking anyone else up from the creaking noise of the floor beneath her feet. Heading down the staircase, she was greeting by the soft light of the fireplace emanating from the far wall.

The warmth of the room increased noticeably as she moved toward the fire and the coat holder near the fireplace with her robes hanging nearby. The crackling fire felt nice as Mia stopped nearby, allowing herself to enjoy the heat for a moment. She slipped her robe over her arm, noticing it had completely dried out from when she walking in from the rain earlier.

"Thanks Isaac…" Mia murmured out loud, still only half awake and not realizing she had said some of her words instead of just thinking them. Turning back to head back to bed, she was greeted by the sight of Isaac looking over at her curiously from a couch near the fire. In her exhausted state she didn't notice him there before while grabbing her robe, and did a double take in surprise.

"You're welcome sleepy," Isaac said with a grin as he made sense of the series of strange events. "I could have brought it back to you in the morning so you didn't have to come down in the middle of the night," Isaac said, indicating the robe over Mia's arm.

Mia shook her head, trying to dispel the stupor that caused her to originally miss the blonde boy sitting there, embarrassed by both her inability to notice him as well as her muttering of thanks she had not intended to say aloud.

Mia squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them again and refocused her attention on Isaac as she replied. "Thanks for drying it out for me," she stated with an involuntary yawn at the end.

"You should go get some sleep," Isaac said, acknowledging Mia's word of thanks with a nod, but focusing in on on how tired she looked.

 _I seemed to be unable to do that,_ Mia thought as she ignored the suggestion. "What are you doing still awake?" Mia asked, smoothing out the robe she was wearing and sitting down next to Isaac.

Isaac's smile faded and he glanced down at his hands, fidgeting with them as Mia's gaze lingered on him to watch the reaction. "I...just can't sleep," Isaac replied with a half truth, obviously hiding the way he felt.

Mia frowned, able to see through his half hearted attempt to be discrete, shifting her body to better look over at the boy next to her. "What's wrong?" she asked him, concerned about the sudden atmosphere change and gloomy feeling emanating from Isaac.

Isaac leaned back and rested his head on the cushioning of the couch. "I don't know Mia," Isaac stated simply. "I don't think there's anything wrong," he continued truthfully, picking his words with care. "I think I just can't sleep right now."

Mia let him continue to ponder his thoughts a little longer before prying further. "Well...you must have something on your mind at least," Mia said, not letting the cryptic statement slide. She waited patiently for Isaac's answer as he thought it over.

For a few seconds, only the sound of the crackling fire could be heard until Isaac finally gave in. "I keep thinking about this journey we're on," Isaac stated leaning forward again and inspecting his hands. "I think about everything that's happened so far...and I think about what is still to come."

Mia nodded, following along with his words and Isaac gave voice to the thoughts he had been struggling with throughout the night. "I think about these things..." Isaac continued to speak. "So much has already happened...some of it good of course, such as meeting you and Ivan...but some of it dangerous as well. Things seemed a lot easier when we were first starting out, but I can't shake the feeling that things are just getting more and more difficult by the day."

Mias thoughts flashed back to the Kolima forest with the curse placed on the villages as well as their trek through the winding passages of the 'evil' Mogall Forest. "I can't deny we've seen some outrageous things so far…" Mia replied in agreement. "This latest development with the flooded town and mines has gone even beyond just normal bad luck."

Isaac nodded and look over at Mia for understanding. "That's exactly it. Like you said with the mines...things seem to make less and less sense every day we continue on this journey. I feel like it's getting harder...and by extension, more dangerous for all of us." Isaac leaned back on the couch again brooding on that point for a moment as Mia sat patiently sensing he wasn't done with that particular thought.

The blonde boy sighed. "It's not even the fact that this journey is dangerous that gets to me...It's more about how it continues getting more dangerous and I don't know what the future has in store. I worry that I've caught you and everyone else up in this as well," Isaac stated, finally revealing what was really bothering him.

 _So that's that it was...Isaac was concerned for all of us and didn't know how to deal with that worry…_ Mia reached out to touch the boy next to her but stopped halfway and retracted her hand, trying to decide how to respond. Isaac didn't notice the movement, but looked up again and stared over at the fire as it crackled in the fireplace

"We all knew what we signed up for," Mia said finally, catching Isaac's attention. "We knew it wasn't going to be easy...but we decided to come anyway - All of us did."

Isaac shook his head. "I feel responsible for this somehow," he replied. "I'm apparently the leader and I don't even know what I'm leading. It feels so arbitrary." Mia watched closely as Isaac shrugged and looked over at her. "It's not like I know anything more about what is going on than anyone else. We're all pretty clueless for the most part and we only know the information we've been told or have found out based on our travels so far. The Elemental Lighthouses feel foreign to me. I don't understand them any more than you do...than Garet does...or than Ivan does."

"Well I know that it was my duty to protect the lighthouse in Imil," Mia interjected."That's a duty I failed as you can see by looking toward the northern skies. We may not know much about these lighthouses or the consequences for lighting them, however we do know what we've both been told regarding the danger of unleashing alchemy again…" She paused for a moment to catch her breath.

"Regardless of this journey being where I am or my reason for being here, I owe it to the world to help correct my mistake and my failures at the Mercury Lighthouse...so don't think that it somehow falls on your shoulders that I'm here facing the same challenges as you, Garet, and Ivan."

Isaac sat there for a moment in silence, digesting Mia's words. "Thanks Mia…" he stated simply, with a hint of a smile gracing his lips. "Somehow you know what to say to help reassure me when I'm a bit lost."

"Not a problem," Mia replied back, letting her own smile show as she could see the overhanging thoughts above Isaac begin to drift away. "If I remember the story correctly, I'm pretty sure Garet shares an equal responsibility as you," she added in a teasing voice and getting a humorous snort out of Isaac as he remembered Sol Sanctum with Garet where everything began.

"Ivan is the only one that really isn't technically directly responsible for any of this...and if that's a burden on you, then you should let Garet and I share it with you," Mia finished with a kind smile.

Isaac let out a nervous laugh. "You're right...of course you're right. I think you've taken a load off of my shoulders," Isaac explained with a smile at Mia.

The cerulean haired girl returned the smile and leaned back on the couch letting her head tip up toward the ceiling, glad to know she had cheered up the boy sitting beside her. _Sharing the blame huh…?_ Mia thought to herself, closing her eyes. _I know I said that, but the Mercury Lighthouse was still my f-_

"Falling asleep on me?" Isaac asked Mia teasingly, cutting into her thoughts. Opening her eyes again, Mia lifted her head up to look around and realized that her head had slipped from resting on the back of the couch to Isaac's shoulder instead. Her face flushed slightly in embarrassment and she sat up straight as a board, trying to come up with a quick retort.

"Quite literally," Mia pointed out, diffusing the embarrassment as best she could, earning a chuckle from Isaac.

The blond boy scratched the tip of his nose in nervousness and his face turned slightly pink as he glanced away from Mia to hide it. "Not that I mind or anything...but if you're going to sleep you should probably do that in your bed," Isaac pointed out.

Mia let out a yawn she didn't realize she was holding. "Perhaps you're right…" she stated, feeling the lack of sleep finally catching up with her again after a night of restlessness. Her eyes began to droop as she leaned back carefully, making sure she was resting her head on the cushions of the couch this time. "It feels so nice here though…" she mumbled softly to Isaac who looked on as the cerulean haired girl finally let the exhaustion of the day catch up to her.

The warmth of the fire wafting toward her and faint crackling of embers calmed Mia as she drifted closer to sleep and the rest she was desperately seeking earlier in the night. Again she leaned sideways as her body relaxed and could no longer hold herself upright in her stupor. Cerulean hair fell onto Isaac's shoulder again, glistening in the pale orange light of the fire.

Isaac looked on hesitantly, believing that she may have actually fallen asleep this time. "Mia…?" he asked in a soft voice, checking to see if that was indeed the case. Her soft breathing was the only other sound, faintly audible over the fireplace and the constant pattering of rain outside.

The blonde boy sat there, amazed that Mia had been able to fall asleep just like that, knowing she had to have been extremely tired. Isaac smiled down at his traveling companion, an empathetic smile, conveying sympathy for her insomnia and indicating the deep friendship he had so quickly developed with the girl since meeting her back in Imil. "I guess I'm staying here for now then," he said softly to himself, amused by the situation.

Reaching out to Mia's arm where her now warm robe sat, still draped, Isaac slowly removed the robe from her, careful not to disturb her rest. Opening it up, he covered Mia's body with it like a blanket to help keep her warm as she slept. Smiling at his handiwork and at the fact Mia was able to get to sleep so soundly, Isaac found himself oddly content. Despite being tucked away in a small town in the corner of a continent on a quest that had never made much sense, Isaac was at ease and felt almost happy in the rare moment of peace this particular evening had given him.

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Thanks for reading everyone! I hope you end up enjoying this story as I continue to write it and follow the Golden Sun cast on their journey through Weyard. A quick word of warning though: I do not know how often I will be updating this story or if I will ever get to complete it, but if you like it and want to stay tuned, I suggest following it so you can receive a notification via email when a new chapter is put up =)


	2. The Mines of Altin

**Chapter 2: The Mines of Altin**

Mia coughed and reached out to the wall to steady herself as she expelled dusty air from her lungs. Isaac glanced over at her to ensure she was all right as he continued moving forward with Ivan and Garet through the dimly lit tunnels.

The mine shafts of Altin were still a dangerous place without the awakened statues causing issues for the town, and the miners had not yet gone back to work clearing the place out. Loose rock and boulders lay strewn about the various shafts and tunnels, making navigation more difficult. The air quality was bad and the group of adepts often had to stop when one of them breathed in too much of the harmful dust and had a bout of coughing.

 _I'm no geologic expert, but you would think that a place like this would be less dusty and just damp instead considering how waterlogged it was just the other day…_ Mia thought. Removing her hand from the wall, she glanced at the powderized rock that had rubbed off on her palm.

The dim lighting that allowed the group to see and attempt to navigate through the mines for the third time was emanating from Garet's psynergy as he maintained a small flame in the palm of his hand.

"Stick close Mia," Garet whispered, warning her to stay within the small sight radius his fire could provide. The deeper parts of the mine got much more dangerous the further the group went due to monsters that became more numerous and powerful. The miners had been confined to only short distances from the entrances ever since the Mt. Aleph incident had altered the wildlife to be more aggressive and monsters started to appear across the land.

While the miners could deal with the bats near the surface, the town spoke of monsters roaming the depths of the shafts that they dared not to venture through any longer. The group of adepts had confirmed those rumors just the other day when fighting their way through to the living water statues, encountering many foes hidden in the dark tunnels.

Isaac shifted suddenly and held out his arm to stop the rest of the group from moving forward. Garet snuffed the flame and plunged the group into total blackness as everyone stood frozen in place, silent save for the slightest sound of breathing in the stifling air.

The darkness was absolute, but everyone knew better than to try to ask Isaac what was happening. A few moments passed and then Mia heard it: A rattling sound echoing softly off the walls of the cavern ahead.

 _Skeletons!_ Mia thought, slowing her breathing to minimal levels along with the rest of the group in an attempt to avoid detection by the reanimated horrors. _I wonder if the townsfolk are right about these skeletons being the remains of the miners first killed after Mt. Aleph began acting up…_ Mia couldn't help to think, shuddering at the idea of the miner's deaths from the slimes and rat men in the area.

The group had slowly been making progress through the tunnels for the last two hours, attempting to avoid encounters with monsters whenever possible, and fighting only if absolutely necessary. _According to the villagers, the exit to the other side of the mountain should be somewhere on this level,_ Mia thought, keeping as positive as she could by focusing on the goal of their expedition back into the deep mines.

The mountain pass above was unusable due to a recent landslide completely blocking any way through to the town on the other side, so the group had concluded that the mines were the only way to continue on their journey. The sound of skeletons moving around in the dark faded out as they wandered away from the patiently waiting adepts.

Isaac tapped Garet in the darkness, indicating the all clear, and flames flickered back to life in the redhead's hand, casting the adept's shadows on the wall next to them.

"That was a close one," Ivan breathed a sigh of relief at the narrow miss.

"How long do you have?" Isaac whispered to Garet, concerned about the time remaining in which they could explore the floor before his psynergy would run low and they would lose the light required to progress through the cavernous system.

Gauging his psynergy, Garet estimated. "Another hour or so at best keeping it up continuously," he told Isaac.

 _That doesn't leave us much time left,_ Mia thought, doing the calculations in her head. She figured they would have another half hour to find the exit they were looking for until being forced to turn around and head back to the town as they had the day before.

Apparently Isaac and Ivan came up with the same result, because Isaac shook his head and Ivan cursed quietly in frustration. "We don't have time to wait for these monsters…" the younger blond boy voiced.

"We have half an hour then," Isaac stated based on Garet's answer, not happy about the situation, but accepting it as reality.

He began to move forward again as the rest of the group followed, alert and ready for anything that decided to attack them. Coming up to the wider room ahead where the skeletons just passed through, Mia could hear her footsteps echoing off the walls while stepping carefully across the damp ground.

The path branched into two more tunnels as the adepts continued along the wall and Isaac stopped to allow Garet to peer down them as best he could before choosing a path. Increasing the intensity of his psynergy, Garet glanced down the first tunnel while Mia and Ivan stood guard, alert to their surroundings behind them.

A giant bat fluttered past, disturbed by the increased light level in the otherwise dark cavern, but did not attack, even as Mia readied a frost spell to prevent it from coming after them.

Garet and Isaac moved on to peering down the second tunnel, and immediately jumped back as one of the mutant rat fighters living in the caves surprised them by leaping out with a swing at Isaac.

The blonde boy barely managed to raise his blade in time to block the attack and a loud clanging sound of metal on metal resounded off the walls as the rat's miniature spear bounced off Isaac's sword.

Reacting quickly, Ivan spun around and blasted the rat with a ray of lightning as Garet backed off to clear the way, maintaining the higher lighting level for the rest of the group to fight in.

"We're in for it now," Isaac called out, abandoning the attempt to stay quiet with whispers as combat began.

More rats started pouring out of the tunnel and a huge spider descended from the ceiling behind the group, irritated at the noise near its nest. Mia raised her staff and fired off a frost spell to slow the spider and prevent it from entering the fight as the rest of the group tried to deal with the armed rat men.

Combat in the dark and confined space was a completely different dynamic than when outside and was much more dangerous for the group since Garet's need to maintain the lighting and conserve his psynergy meant he could not effectively fight with either his weapons or spells, leaving Isaac as the only fighter in the front line to protect Ivan and Mia.

A slash of his blade allowed Isaac to take out another rat coming at them and Mia cast another spell to impale more of the rats rushing at them with icicle spears. One rat made it past Isaac and rushed at Mia, who knocked its attack aside using her staff. A blast of electricity from Ivan fried the rat and cause Mia's skin to tingle from the static electricity as it passed.

Splitting her attention back to the spider behind the group, Mia kept it at bay with a douse spell, drenching the spider in torrential water and dampening the sense it relied on to navigate towards its new prey.

Isaac called upon his psynergy to grow roots and vines under the feet of the rats to entangle them and impede movement, jumping out of the way of another spear thrust toward him at the same time.

"Isaac back off," Ivan called out as he channeled another spell and a whirlwind began to form near the entangled rats. Leaving the rats to Ivan, Isaac stepped past Mia, bringing his blade around to neatly slice off a leg of the giant spider. Spinning around again, Isaac slashed a few more times in quick succession, dismembering the spider's legs as he went and throwing it off balance.

Ivan's whirlwind whipped around with alarming speed, trapping the rats inside as they were battered by the wind as well as loose rock caught up in the maelstrom. One of the rats almost escaped the miniature storm, but Garet gave it a swift kick to the face, knocking the creature back into the vortex with a squeal of pain abruptly cut short by the sound of a flying rock colliding with a skull.

Mia sent another icicle spear flying, this time at the spider, killing the creature and pinning the legless body to the floor. As Ivan's whirlwind subsided, the copious amounts of dust it kicked up filled the air, making it difficult to see and breathe once again. Through the thick fog-like cloud, Mia could barely make out the sole survivor of Ivan's magic crawling away heavily injured as the bodies of its brethren lay strewn across the stone floor.

Isaac must have seen the same thing because a second later, his psynergy flared up and a stalactite of stone fell from above and impaled the creature, ending its life.

Trying to avoid breathing in more of the harmful dust, the group ducked down the first tunnel and into relatively clean air. Breathing heavily from holding their breaths as well as the exertion of battle, the group took a moment to recuperate.

Mia and Ivan both glanced over at Isaac, surprised at the unusual act of executing a defeated enemy; Something Isaac had never shown a tendency to do previously. Feeling their gazes, Isaac looked up and then back and forth at each other adept in turn, reading their expressions.

"I had to," was Isaac's reply to the inquisitive looks. "If there were more down there and the injured one was going to get them, we would be in a whole lot of trouble right now," Isaac explained.

 _That makes perfect sense,_ Mia knew, though it was still a first and her surprise continued to linger as she caught her breath.

"That said...we still made a whole lot of noise back there," Isaac pointed out as the rest of the group agreed. "We should keep moving and put some distance between us and that battle in case it attracts some….less friendly creatures."

At that thought, Ivan stood up from where he sat leaning against the wall and picked up his weapon, peering further down the shaft in anticipation of continuing on. Garet moved up front to lead the way with his personal light source, followed closely by Isaac and Mia.

Faint sounds of dripping water could be heard from the still damp sections of the mine, keeping the adepts alert as they listened for any other sounds that could possibly indicate nearby enemies. The air got lighter and easier to breathe again as the group left the dust cloud whipped up by Ivan's magic in the last battle. The pathway began to widen once more as the adepts carefully made their way forward until Garet stopped the group.

In front of them was a mound of debris blocking the tunnel with what looked like a small boulder in the center of the path. The massive piece of rock appeared to have broken off of the wall and was lodged in the tunnel in a way that made it impossible to get past.

Isaac stepped forward and lay his hand gently on the stone peering past it to the tunnel beyond, ensuring that it wasn't just a dead end on the other side. Having encountered a few similar situations so far in the mines, the rest of the group stayed put as Isaac checked out the surroundings.

"It looks like another good path beyond here," Isaac commented, stepping back from the rock as he fished through his bags for a little gem recently acquired from their fight with the water spewing statues a few days prior.

Mia watched the golden particles of Isaac's psynergy wink into existence as the blonde boy focused his power onto the gem, causing it to glow softly with a dim light. _Isaac's psynergy is always so nice to watch_ , Mia reflected, enjoying the soft, golden color of the psynergy that was unique to him.

Large psynergetic hands appeared on either side of the boulder and as psynergy rings enveloped Isaac, the hands appear to lift the boulder slowly off the ground, moving it horizontally just barely out of the path before setting it down. The psynergy dissipated, leaving a gap between the boulder and the wall with enough space for the adepts to get past.

 _It's going to be a tight fit_ , Mia knew, eyeing Garet as the largest member of the party squeezed his way through the opening Isaac created and over to the other side. Reigniting the flame in his hand once making it through, Garet took a quick look ahead to confirm their immediate safety before letting the others know to follow with a quick, "All clear."

Ivan handed his sword through to Garet on the other side before nimbly ducking through the opening as well. Mia glanced behind the group, double checking their safety on that side as well, motioning to Isaac to go first.

The blonde boy also handed his sword over to the other side then squeezed his way past the boulder. Halfway through, Isaac's yellow scarf caught on a sharp edge of the rock, preventing him from moving past. Unable to see the issue, Isaac began to feel around with one hand to try to find the snag without much success.

Mia glanced over to see the hold up and noticed the problem, stepping over to the boulder and releasing the scarf from the edge it was caught on. "There you go," she whispered to Isaac, who finished slipping through after feeling the scarf was slack and no longer snagged on the rock.

"Thanks," he whispered back, reaching out to grab Mia's staff for her as she took one last look behind to ensure nothing was approaching. Isaac passed the staff off to his other hand and reached back out to Mia in order to help her through.

Mia took Isaac's hand to steady herself as she pulled her robes tight against herself with her other hand to avoid a similar issue to Isaac's scarf as she made her way through. Successfully passing the boulder, Mia relaxed her grip on her robes and brushed the dust off of them before accepting her staff back from Isaac.

Continuing down the previously blocked path, the tunnel continued to widen before opening up into a cavern ahead. Upon entering the room, the group came across some mine cart tracks, rusted over by the water damage with a pickaxe lying on the ground nearby. There were a number of exits from the large room and a couple of them had cart tracks heading down their halls.

 _This must be one of the more heavily mined areas in the past when it was still open,_ Mia considered, judging by the higher density of the track that seemed to serve as a hub for transporting mined rock. _That also means it's likely there are a lot more monsters here as well..._

She dared not voice her concern to the others for fear of being detected, however Garet seemed to have come to the same conclusion, dimming the light to the point where the adepts could just barely see their immediate surroundings.

Using the wall to help navigate, the group circled their way carefully toward where they saw the first exit from the room on the left side. As they got closer to their goal, Mia heard a sudden thud from behind her and a skidding noise of something scraping across the stone floor before she felt an impact on her leg, causing her to jump in alarm.

Garet increased the light level in response to the incident as Mia glanced down quickly to see what had hit her. A yellow mining hat lay next to her feet, wobbling slightly and caked in what appeared to be dried blood. Mia put a hand over her mouth to prevent any noise from escaping as she realized exactly what it was and the implications behind it.

 _The miners here must have died violent deaths,_ Mia thought, unable to brood on the idea long due to the sound of fast approaching footsteps that were not their own.

Garet cursed his clumsiness for kicking the helmet upon hearing the approaching monsters as the group got ready for battle, drawing weapons and taking up defensive positions.

They didn't have long to wait as a group of skeletons burst out of the corridors to engage the party, armed with pickaxes and swords. Swarming towards the group of adepts, most of the skeletons focused on Isaac, who was doing his best to draw their attention away from the other members of the group.

Garet increased the light level, bringing the flames in his hand roaring to life. There was a bright flash of bluish purple lightning as Ivan shot off his ray spells in rapid succession. The smell of ozone wafted from the atomized remains of the skeleton Ivan had targeted and Mia called the powers of frost to her side, bombarding the oncoming skeletons with a hail of ice.

Echoing sounds of shattering ice reverberated through the room as two of the skeletons got completely pulverized and ground into dust by the onslaught. Isaac parried an attack from one of the skeletons charging him with a loud clang, using the momentum shift to bring his blade crashing into another enemy, shattering the bones to pieces.

"More Incoming!" Garet warned, seeing some more foes stream into the room from the right side. Ivan quickly turned to engage, tossing more bolts of lightning at the skeletons and pulling out his sword, knowing melee combat was inevitable.

Mia hit her staff against the ground, calling forth a wave of water to knock back the oncoming skeletons and prevent them from reaching the adepts as quickly. Isaac decapitated a foe in front of him and dropped a spire attack into one of the newcomers, crushing it beneath the weight of the stone.

There were too many skeletons to stop completely and when they broke through the spells targeting them, two came directly for Mia. The cerulean haired girl raised her staff, blocking two attacks in quick succession as she glanced over to see Isaac keeping three at bay from himself and Garet while Ivan moved with the swiftness of the wind, darting between two more foes in a deadly sword fight.

Augmenting her staff with Mercury psynergy, Mia struck one of her assailants, staggering it and knocking back from the fight for a second. As she turned to position for the second skeleton, Mia slipped on the damp floor and fell to the ground, barely catching the edge of a pickaxe against her staff.

Holding the undead at bay, Mia tried to take her staff to block the next strike from a recovered skeleton, but it was caught on the far edge of her first opponent's pickaxe and was locked in place by the hook shape of the pick. Mia saw the blade coming at her, still unable to dislodge her staff and block the attack. As a last resort, Mia let go of the staff and rolled out of the way of the attack, suffering only a slash through her robe as the undead's sword narrowly missed.

Free from the melee lock, the skeleton with the pickaxe raised the weapon above its head and brought it crashing down upon Mia.

 _Is this how I die?_ Mia wondered, knowing she had no hope of dodging the second blow coming for her. Surprisingly she found she was calm, and even though adrenaline was pumping through her veins, she felt passive as if she was looking on and watching someone else's life. The pickaxe came down and there was an explosion of light, and then nothing.

Mia's ears started ringing as the light she saw faded away rapidly, leaving her blind to her surroundings, waiting for her eyes to adjust.

The echoes of combat around her helped bring Mia back to her senses as she looked around disoriented, realizing she wasn't dead just yet. The sight of Garet engulfed in blazing red psynergy with a serious look on his face and the incinerated remains of two skeletons in front of her helped Mia realize what happened.

The heat from Garet's fireball spell that had saved her life lingered in the air as Mia came to her senses, grabbing her staff from the floor where it had fallen. The floor was riddled with skeleton pieces from Ivan and Isaac's fight, but the two boys were being pushed back by an increasing tide of enemies.

Garet had completely abandoned the idea of keeping the room lit and instead switched to offense to help deal with the endless stream of foes from all sides. The only vision the adepts had was from the fire spells Garet continued to unleash to hold skeletons at bay as well as the bright flashes of Ivan's electric spells intermingled with his melee attacks.

 _This is no time to be holding back_ Mia knew, mostly unfazed from the close brush with death. Her ears and eyes were still recovering, but she could function well enough to continue fighting. _I know I was trying to conserve psynergy in case of an emergency...but this situation could hardly qualify as anything less than that!_

Raising her hands, Mia called upon her psynergy once again, focusing on the skeletons that were beginning to surround Isaac. A chill filled the room as the temperature dropped to freezing and the skeletons became encased in a tomb of ice.

Not worried about retaliation, Isaac was able to switch to pure offense, bringing his blade through the encased undead, shattering the ice and their bones to pieces with quick swipes of his blade.

Ivan finished off the last of his foes, panting heavily as the bones rattled to the floor in a pile. With no more psynergy spells flying through the air to light up the room, everything faded to pitch black.

Each adept stood still among the remains of the reanimated miners recovering from the fight in the darkness. Mia looked around in an attempt to locate her companions, a futile effort without Garet's flames to aid her.

"Is everyone okay?" Isaac called out, trying to confirm their safety before proceeding. Mia thought she could sense the faintest hint of a bright spot near one of the tunnels just before Garet re-ignited the fire he had used to guide them so far.

A look around showed all the adepts alive, though in varying conditions after the skirmish. Mia's hair and robes were signed, Isaac had some gashes that looked like they would require medical attention, and Ivan was mostly unscathed save for some scratches from the claws of one of the skeletons that managed to hit him.

"Thanks Garet," Mia acknowledged the fire adept's timeliness in his assistance during the fight, even as she cast a healing spell on Isaac to at least prevent the injuries from becoming any worse before she would have a chance to tend to them in better conditions.

"Of course Mia," Garet replied. "I wasn't about to let you get hit by that," he stated, avoiding any mention of her possibly dying.

Ivan eyed the flame in Garet's hand warily. "How long do we have left now that you were forced to use psynergy?" the blonde boy asked Garet.

Garet shook his head, knowing the other would not like his reply. "10 minutes at best," he answered to the dismay of the group.

"So we have a long trek back to town in complete darkness ahead of us once this runs out...and we're in no shape for another battle," Isaac voiced the situation, pondering what to do.

Mia glanced around the room, trying to discern the tunnel she thought was lighter than the rest, but could not find any difference in the lit up cavern.

Isaac caught her gaze as she was looking around and studied her curiously, wondering if she had noticed the same thing he did. "Hey Garet...put out the fire a second," Isaac said. Garet looked at him funny and replied, "Whatever you say boss," before snuffing the flame.

Wondering what Isaac was getting at, the other adepts sat in the darkness as Mia and Isaac scanned the room again, looking for what they had both seen earlier just after the fight. "There it is again," Mia said softly, finding the tunnel she thought was barely a shade lighter than the rest.

"You see that too?" Isaac asked Mia, looking over at the same tunnel she was. "It looks lighter to me over there," the blonde boy added, prompting Garet and Ivan to start looking around as well.

The sound of someone moving around was heard as Garet went to peer down the shaft. "I think you're onto something here," Garet said, agreeing with the analysis that the tunnel was indeed lighter than the rest.

"You're implying that's the exit then?" Ivan spoke up asking the rest of the group the obvious question.

Garet lit up the fire in his hand once more to illuminate the area and finish their conversation. _If that IS the exit...this is all over with and we can make it out before Garet's fire runs out...the upside is high here, but if we are wrong that's another stretch of tunnel we have to make our way back through in complete darkness without getting lost or running into monsters,_ Mia thought, wondering how the others were analyzing their situation.

Isaac frowned. "Well we have a choice to make and it's not an easy one. If we continue forward and assume that is the exit, we might be right...but it's a risky path to take if we do have to come all the way back."

The adepts all sat in silence to ponder the situation as precious seconds ticked away, pressure to make a decision mounting in order to not waste more time.

"Let's go for it," Ivan finally said, breaking the silence and voicing what they were all thinking, but nobody wanted to say.

"I don't think we're going to get a choice in the matter," Garet added on, indicating behind him at a familiar rattling sound coming through the tunnel toward them.

 _Crap! We were too loud!_ Mia realized, knowing their voices probably carried through the tunnels alerting more monsters to their presence. The adepts grabbed their weapons and, though injured, they steeled themselves for another fight.

"Which tunnel was it?" Isaac asked, losing track in the light of Garet's flame and the distraction of more approaching enemies.

"This one!" Mia shouted out, indicating the tunnel they felt was the exit with her staff as skeletons began to pour into the room.

Ivan fired off ray spells with flashes of violet light to deal with the first foe running at them. Isaac brought his blade up and blocked an attack from another skeleton with a loud clang of metal on metal.

Mia once again called upon her frost spells to impale their foes with shards of ice, staff glowing with psynergetic light. A couple of the skeletons shattered and fell to the floor, but to the dismay of the adepts, a swarm of rat men appeared from another tunnel on the right, attracted by the sounds of combat.

Assessing the situation from the back, Garet called upon his psynergy once more to send a massive stream of fire into the oncoming rats, cooking the frontrunners alive. The light dimmed as the dire consequence of using his psynergy took its toll, unable to maintain the vision he had been previously.

"Run!" Garet yelled, sending a final fireball crashing into their foes before dashing down the tunnel Mia had indicated earlier.

Heading his advice, the rest of the party turned tail to follow, using their psynergy defensively to slow the oncoming tide of monsters. Ivan blocked off an incoming group of skeletons with a gale, blowing dust everywhere and obscuring the monsters chasing after the group as they ran away. Mia placed a hand on her staff, breathing heavily while fleeing. Invoking her powers, she froze the floor behind the adepts to create a slick surface that would be difficult for the monsters to navigate in the dust.

Garet's fire finally winked out, but it was light enough for the party to see their surroundings enough not to run into the walls as they continued to sprint down the tunnel, following the source of the light ahead.

"It's getting lighter!" Ivan exclaimed, certain they were on the right path now.

Isaac swung his sword at the side of the wall as Mia dashed past, hitting a skeleton that appeared from an offshoot of the main tunnel that nobody else had noticed in their mad dash for freedom.

The light got continuously brighter as Mia and her friends ran for dear life, and rounding the bend showed an exit from the mine just ahead.

"We made it!" Mia heard Ivan yell to the other adepts as they approached the blinding white light of the outdoors. As Ivan finished his exclamation, a group of angry rat men burst out of the darkness behind them to attack Isaac at the rear of the party.

Acting on instinct, the blonde boy called upon his psynergy and unleashed a spell that caused the tunnel to begin to shake.

 _Earthquake!_ Mia's mind screamed out as she recognized the signs of the spell Isaac just unleashed. _He was so careful NOT to use that the whole time we've been in here…_

Isaac froze for half a second as his spell went off and a rumbling could be heard in the ground and the walls, cursing as he realized his mistake.

"Oh Shi-" Isaac got off before a piece of the ceiling collapsed, entombing half the rats following them under tons of rocks and startling the blonde boy into sprinting for the exit again.

Garet was the first outside, collapsing to the ground and rapidly sucking in breaths of fresh air as the other adepts followed suit.

Mia kneeled down after exiting the mine, using her staff as support, listening the rumbling noises intensify behind them and watching the entire mine shaft collapse seconds after Isaac made it to safety outside. Watching the entrance showed no signs of their attackers still in pursuit, presumably dead from the falling debris.

The exhausted group caught their breath for half a minute in complete silence, just thankful to be alive after the whole ordeal. _Thank Mercury,_ Mia thought, looking out at the blue sky for the first time all day, appreciating the calm of the clouds while the dust settled behind them from the destroyed tunnel. The adepts' heavy breathing could be heard as Mia closed her eyes to block out the harsh light until they could adjust to the outdoors.

"Are you trying to KILL us?!" Ivan exclaimed in reference to the earthquake spell, breaking the silence and looking over at Isaac incredulously.

The older blonde boy didn't immediately respond to the outburst as he attempted to comprehend his own thought process leading to his unleashing of Quake psynergy.

"That was pretty insane man," Garet chimed in as well. "Who else in all of Weyard would think triggering a freaking EARTHQUAKE while UNDERGROUND is a good idea?"

 _I feel bad for this abuse...but he does kind of deserve it for that one,_ Mia thought to herself. _Isaac did lead us through the cave multiple days in a row though and was probably under a lot of stress these last few days…_

"I...acted instinctively and didn't think that one through," Isaac admitted with a serious face. "I was in danger and didn't think and that put all of you in danger as well...I'm so sorry…"

Mia sighed. _This couldn't come at a worse time. It was just last night that I spoke with Isaac about confidence and helped him regain some confidence as a leader...I hope this doesn't shake those worries again..._

Mia interjected to reprimand Ivan and Garet. "Guys...keep in mind how often we've been in that mine recently and how it's also thanks to Isaac that we even got through it in the first place," she pointed out. The cerulean haired girl turned and smiled understandingly at Isaac, lending him support.

The blonde boy gave her a half smile in appreciation for sticking up for him as Ivan and Garet dropped their gazes for a moment, knowing Mia's words rang true. "It WAS a bit close for comfort, but in the end we all survived where we may not have otherwise," she also pointed out.

Ivan spoke up first. "I spoke rashly in the heat of the moment," he said, looking over at Isaac. "All of this is true and without you we wouldn't have made it out of the cave in the first place," he added with a nod of appreciation.

Garet chuckled to himself. "You may have picked a terrible time to use that spell...but there was no doubt it was effective," he said, glancing over his shoulder at the blocked off entrance to the mine. Laying back down on the ground and staring up at the sky, Garet let out an exclamation of frustration. "UGH! You have no idea how irritating it was to not be able to participate in some of those fights," he added, completely over the point being made of Isaac's earthquake.

Mia smiled as Isaac noticed everyone else had let the issue go. "Thanks for understanding guys," Isaac told them all with a smile, looking to each of his companions in turn.

"Hey, no problem man," Garet replied nonchalantly with a lazy wave of his arm.

"Well at least it worked," Ivan said. "After all, nobody is infallible...except for me," he added with a joking smile, earning a snort from Garet and chuckle from Isaac and Mia.

With tensions eased, Mia glanced over at Isaac's injuries that she was unable to properly heal while inside the cave and frowned. Scooting over to where the blonde boy was, Mia placed a hand upon his arm where the worst of his injuries required a little more than a simple healing spell.

 _It's not too bad, but I'll have to make sure it doesn't get infected later,_ Mia reminded herself, making a mental note to check up on it later as she applied another healing spell to help mend the wound.

"Thanks Mia," Isaac said as she finished her spell and let go of his arm. Mia smiled at him and explained that she would have to keep her eye on it but that it should be all right, before moving on to Ivan to patch up the scratches he sustained against the skeletons.

Once done with Ivan, Mia glanced over at Garet and felt like making a joke at the fire adepts expense. "No need to check the slacker in our fights today," Mia said with a wink, knowing that he hadn't sustained any injuries.

"No fair Mia!" Garet complained. "I was stuck on human torch duty the whole time."

Mia just shrugged. "Excuses, excuses…." she mumbled, loud enough for him to hear, as Isaac and Ivan let out some much needed laughter after a long day.

Garet wasn't about to lay down and take it without a comeback though, and glared and the laughing boys before giving Mia a sly smile. Making sure to speak loudly enough over the laughing of the blonde boys for everyone to clearly hear, he said, "Now I know Isaac likes you putting your hands all over him to heal and all...but the rest of us can get injured too you know."

 _Put my hands all over Isaac?_ Mia felt a bit of blood rush to her face at those words and snuck a quick glance over to see the blonde boy's reaction to the teasing, catching his eye briefly before they both glanced away with pink in their cheeks.

Ivan thought the situation was hilarious and kept laughing at their expense as Mia mustered up a skeptical look and returned her gaze to Garet. "Oh no way...I was right?!" Garet exclaimed, trying to interpret Isaac and Mia's reaction to his comment.

Mia grabbed her staff off the ground and faked like she was going to smack the fire adept with it. "You might be right about other people getting injured if you keep running your mouth like that," she said, poking him gently as a mock warning, but giving him a smile to try to brush off the comment.

Isaac decided to combat the accusation with a different tactic. "Seriously Garet?" was all he replied with after overcoming his initial surprise at the comment. "Need I bring up some childhood memories for you such as the time-"

"AHAAAA!" Garet interrupted sharply, cutting Isaac off quickly. "Perhaps it is best to leave the past in the past...after all, I don't remember seeing Mia healing you or anything…" he stated, nonchalantly trailing off and redirecting the other adepts away from the subject in a very obvious manner.

"What is this Garet? Is there something you need to tell us?" Mia asked, turning the tables on the fire adept and capitalizing on his embarrassment.

Ivan followed the conversation closely as he lay on the ground, trying to recover along with the others after their mad dash through the mines."This sounds like an interesting story," he chimed in with a grin.

Garet just shrugged. "It's a bit of a long story...maybe a story for another time when we aren't all exhausted like this," he reasoned, indicating the way the four adepts were sprawled out on the ground.

Letting it go for the time being, Isaac stood up and eyed the path winding down the mountain for a short ways before it ended in the Lama Temple. "We should head for town before it gets too late," he said, being the voice of reason for the group to continue moving.

Glancing over at Isaac, Mia tried to read the blonde boy's expression to ensure that he was still in the right mindset despite the near mishap with his psynergy. _He was definately serious about the apology...but I can't see any loss in confidence from the incident. I think Isaac will be okay this time,_ Mia thought with a smile, glad that she had been able to get through to him previously about his role as a leader.

"Let's go then," Mia said simply, standing up and grabbing her staff before looking down the dirt path to town. "I am pretty hungry after all that and could use some time to recover," she added as an afterthought.

Garet groaned at her words. "Oh no, why did you have to remind me of food?" Garet asked as he stared up at the sky and his stomach audibly rumbled. Mia and Ivan laughed, the typical scene of a hungry Garet playing out in front of them, even after such a taxing journey as the one they just finished through the mine.

"You can always count on Garet to be hungry," Ivan quipped, poking a bit of fun at the fire adept who just ignored his words.

Isaac walked over and held out his hand to help Garet up. "I don't know if I can make it," Garet added, acting melodramatic before accepting the aid of his childhood friend. "Leave me behind….save yourselves!" the redhead exclaimed, falling to his knee again and continuing his act, betrayed by the smile on his face that he couldn't quite hide.

 _It's important to keep humor around in tying times like these_ , Mia realized, feeling more energetic than before due to Garet lifting everyone's spirits back up. _We each have a role to play here and while I hesitate to classify Garet as "Mr. Comic Relief," I have to admit he does a pretty good job of it._

"We'll meet you in town," Isaac said to Garet as he turned and walked away down the path with his hand raised in a gesture of goodbye and dismissal, used the many years of the fire adept's antics back in their hometown of Vale.

Mia barely kept herself from laughing at the scene again, happy to know that her traveling companions made all the hardships of the journey worthwhile. Ivan followed after Isaac and Mia as the group began to make their way down the path and towards the town and temple below.

"All right, All Right!" They heard Garet say before the shuffling of feet behind indicated he was following along as well and bringing up the rear in the pack of adepts on the winding mountain road.


	3. Roadside Rescue

**Chapter 3: Roadside Rescue**

Mia awoke to the sight of another unfamiliar room, a common theme in her recent travels. A ray of golden sunlight peaked through the drapes near the windows, resting on her face, causing the cerulean haired girl to squint in its bright light.

 _It's early dawn,_ she surmised basing her assumption on the partial outline of the sun visible through the rest of the drapery. Turning over to avoid the light in her eyes, Mia made out the familiar shapes of Ivan and Garet still sleeping on their bedrolls nearby. A smile crept onto her face as she recognized her companions and she slowly raised her hands to wipe the sleep from her eyes.

Glancing down, Mia also noticed Isaac was mysteriously absent this morning, apparently already awake and active. _That boy pushes himself too far sometimes_ , Mia thought with a hint of concern for her blonde friend. Sighing quietly, she lay back down on her side, looking over at Isaac's bedroll and speculating what could have him up so early in the morning after such a long trek through the mines the day before.

 _I doubt he's still worried about his leadership ability...He seemed a lot better yesterday and wasn't taking the earthquake incident too badly either…_ "I suppose he could just be making breakfast or something," Mia whispered out loud to herself, softly enough not to wake the sleeping adepts nearby.

At the word "breakfast" there was a rustling noise and Mia sat up quickly to determine the source, alert and ready for monsters or intruders as she would be if they were camping out on the side of the road. She relaxed her guard quickly soon after as Garet was facing the other direction, having rolled over in his sleep. Mia unconsciously shivered at the uncanny ability of Garet to react to the slightest thought or mention of food, even while unconscious.

The room Mia sat in was small, but not cramped, decorated simply, as she expected of the temple based on her experience with some of the buildings used by members of the Mercury clan back in Imil. _When it comes down to it, this Lama Temple can be halfway across the continent_ _but still feels familiar to me because of my heritage,_ she considered.

 _It was kind of them to lend a room and let us stay here for the night,_ Mia thought as she got up out of her bedroll, quietly making her way over to the door to leave, attempting to not wake the adepts still sleeping.

 _I might as well find Isaac and offer to help make breakfast,_ Mia decided, leaving her staff laying against the wall as she slid open the door to their room and stopped outside. The hallway looked much like the other rooms of the temple, simple and well kept. There was no creaking noise when Mia stepped out onto the hard wooden floor, a testament to the craftsmanship that went into the temple's construction.

Unsure of where to go, Mia picked the left path and started down the hallway, rounding the bend at the first corner and seeing an archway ahead leading to the main room of the temple. Stepping through the archway, Mia glanced around the room and her gaze stopped on the purple haired woman sitting in the middle of it with her eyes closed.

Recognizing her as Master Hama, the leader of the temple and the one who arranged for their overnight stay after arriving from the mines, Mia stopped, hesitant to enter and interrupt Hama's morning meditation. Mia stood there frozen in place for ten seconds, debating trying to sneak past quietly or going back the other direction, before Master Hama broke the silence.

"Mia right?" she asked, opening her eyes and looking over at the cerulean haired girl in the archway after sensing her presence. Hama smiled and beckoned Mia over. "No need to be shy, you aren't disturbing me in the least," she said to ease Mia's tension.

Like a bind spell being lifted, Mia moved again and walked over to where Hama was sitting. "Good morning Master Hama," Mia greeted the temple leader with a respectful bow.

Hama waved a quick hand. "No need for formal pleasantries with me," she said with an inviting smile. "Come. Sit and let me know what has you up at the crack of dawn as well," Hama said, indicating a cushion on the floor next to her.

Mia accepted the invitation and sat down on the cushion before speaking again. "We still must thank you for lending us a place to stay the night," she expressed, showing her gratitude to Master Hama for the assistance. "As you could probably tell, we could really use the rest."

A smile crept onto Master Hama's face at Mia's words. "Indeed, you did need the respite and it was easy to accommodate because I had the feeling we would soon be having guests, so don't worry about it."

Mia bowed her head again in appreciation. "Plus…" Master Hama started to say. "You four also offered assistance to Feizhi and I in looking for Hsu today as well... so housing you the night is the least we could do for you in return."

 _That's true_ , Mia thought back to their encounter with Feizhi and Hama upon walking up to the entrance of the Lama Temple.

"I know Feizhi acted quite frantic both times she ran into you, back in Xian as well as here," Hama stated, addressing the topic she assumed Mia would broach next. "She is usually more calm and reserved than this, so don't judge her too harshly for the emotional behavior."

Mia shook her head. "No, it's quite all right." she replied. "It is her friend she saw in danger right? 'Hsu' was his name?"

"Yes. Hsu is one of Feizhi's fellow students that often travels between here and Xian in his studies. They're been close friends for a long time after growing up together," Hama explained.

An image of Isaac and Garet standing next to the fiery girl Jenna from the Mercury Lighthouse popped into Mia's mind briefly before she shook her head to clear the thought of the three growing up with each other.

Hama sighed. "Feizhi has her heart in the right place, but sometimes rushes things like this. Hsu is a good student and he has often camped along the road on the way back to Xian. If the Silk Road is indeed blocked as you say, it's not unlikely that it would take him longer to find another path around the blockage. I wouldn't say I'm too worried about his safety just yet since Hsu knows what he's doing out there. It is likely just the blockage of the main road that Feizhi saw."

Mia nodded her understanding of the situation. "Even so...I understand how she must feel," Mia stated, earning a curious look from Hama. "If it were Isaac, Garet, or Ivan in trouble….or if I felt they were somehow in trouble...I would probably act the same way," she admitted.

Hama smiled again at the Mercury adept next to her. "You have a kind personality," she complimented Mia. "I can imagine that's part of why you're such a good fit for your traveling companions," Hama added.

Mia accepted her words with another nod of acknowledgement. "It turns out I fit in better than I expected at first," Mia joked with a smile, remembering their travels shortly after the Mercury Lighthouse.

Hama cracked a smile and a small laugh at Mia's words. "I think you fit in even better than you think," Hama added, cryptically avoiding any specifics.

It was Mia's turn to raise an eyebrow as she replied. "Oh? What is that supposed to mean…?"

Hama shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, it's just something that I believe based on what I can see," she explained.

"So….that means….?" Mia asked in reply. "Is there something you know about my future?"

Hama's face contorted into a slight frown. "It's hard to say...sometimes I see things about the future, not always clear, and not always right, but the general feelings about it are usually pretty accurate."

"So that means you do know about the future as well as the lives of the people around you?" Mia asked incredulously, trying to make herself believe that such a power could exist.

Hama's smiled completely disappeared and her thoughtful frown took over and she pondered her next words carefully.

"It's definitely possible...but it's often bits and pieces with no context. It's rare to ever get the full picture of the future...and everything needs to be put into context," the temple's master explained.

"Is it not a good thing to know the future?" Mia asked, sensing the change in mood.

Hama sat there for a few moments again before replying, trying to find the right words to explain her thoughts. "I find that destiny is generally unchangeable even for those of us that can sometimes glimpse it." Hama replied with a sad smile. "While the ability to see snapshots of the future can be a powerful tool, sometimes some things are better off remaining unknown." She paused for a moment again. "This power given by the elements can often bring pain to those with it depending on what we see…"

Mia sat in silence for a few seconds. "I guess I never considered it that way...but you're right."

Hama smiled again briefly. "Sometimes I'm glad that Jupiter adepts like Ivan don't all have this power, since it frees them of the burdens imposed by knowing too much, or knowing information they never wanted to know."

Hama glanced over at the Mercury Adept next to her. "Let me ask you a question Mia. If you could know how you die, would you want to know?"

Mia pondered the question as Hama watched her reaction. "I...I don't think I would," Mia finally replied.

Hama nodded. "I expected as much. There's a beauty to not knowing and living your life without that thought in your head. Some adepts with this power don't have that luxury though…I fear the day when Feizhi sees too much and pray that it just never happens to her."

 _That's...heavy,_ Mia thought, mulling over Master Hama's words. _I can only imagine what that would do to you, knowing some specific day is coming that is your last…_

Looking over at Hama's sad smile, Mia wondered just how much the purple haired adept had seen of the future. _The way she speaks and her views on that power...she must have seen more than she wanted to. I wonder...has Hama seen her own death? Is that why her view of that power is so negatively skewed? Either that or maybe she knows something about a pupil and that's why she is afraid for Feizhi…._

"You're wondering what makes me see these visions in a negative light aren't you?" Hama asked Mia, already knowing the answer. "I've seen my own death. Knowing about the lives of others can be a burden, but having your own end looming over your life is something not many people can handle and still stay sane. Some would spend their entire lives...waste everything around them and never be truly happy as they attempt to avoid a fate they cannot." Hama indicated the room around her and the temple as a whole with a wave of her arm. "Me…? I simply choose to accept and live my life in the best way I can."

Mia nodded to indicate that was what she was wondering, surprised at Hama's keen ability to pick up on her thoughts. _It's almost like Ivan's mind reading…_

Hama smiled and placed a hand on Mia's shoulder to indicate sincerity. "Don't worry, I'm not reading your mind Mia." She glanced away at one of the archways down the hall for a few seconds before continuing. "I don't need the ability to read minds in order to understand what people are thinking. You will find that Jupiter adepts are either quite empathetic or completely withdrawn depending on how they handle their powers. I like to consider myself the empathetic kind...similar to Feizhi and Ivan"

Hama let her explanation sink in before continuing. "Though not all Jupiter adepts have the ability to read minds like your friend Ivan, we are generally good at understanding thoughts and emotions of others better than most people and we all handle it in different ways."

Mia nodded in reply, accepting the answer to her unspoken question. _Despite Ivan's carefree personality, he does often have a good grasp on the mood of the group and how we are all feeling._ Despite everything Hama saying making sense, something still bugged Mia about the conversation. "You keep using Ivan as an example when speaking about your Jupiter powers and it seems like you know a lot about him already," Mia observed, voicing her thoughts.

Hama paused before her reply this time, clearly not having expected Mia's statement. "He is...a fellow Jupiter Adept," Hama said hesitantly. "Because of that kinship I know more about him than I would about a Mars adept or a Mercury adept such as yourself."

Mia noticed something seemed to be bothering Hama for a few seconds after her answer, however as quickly as she noticed it, Hama recomposed herself and gave the cerulean haired girl a smile. "Ah...but enough of this depressing talk about Jupiter powers," Hama said. "You came out here looking for someone else did you not?" she added with a knowing smile at Mia.

Mia smiled, flustered by the sudden change of topic, not denying that was the case but also not trying to be rude to the graciousness of her host. "Ah...I...you're not wrong," the cerulean haired girl stated politically. Understanding how that sounded, Mia quickly added to her reply. "That is...that's not to mean that I didn't want to talk to you of course," she said, increasingly embarrassed by how poorly the conversation was going.

Luckily, Hama knew what the girl was trying to say and found it amusing, laughing as Mia tried to compose herself again. Deciding to help her out, Hama stood up and turned to leave. "It was time for me to prepare for our trip today anyway," she stated simply, moving away from Mia and giving the Mercury adept a chance to continue on her mission to find Isaac.

Mia gave a bow of respect to Hama's retreating figure that was met with, "No need for such formality my dear," from the Jupiter adept.

 _She never even looked this way to know I bowed in the first place…_ Mia mused, almost frustrated over the awareness displayed by Hama and her ability to read people like a book. As the temple's master disappeared down one of the halls, her soft footsteps echoing away off the walls; Mia looked toward the entrance of the temple and decided that if anything, Isaac must have gone outside.

Leaving Hama behind for the time being, Mia opened the front door of the temple and stepped outside into the early dawn. Fresh, cool mountain air assaulted her senses as she paused in the entryway, just admiring the beauty around her. The deep green hills surrounding the temple rose sharply into the sky, ending in tapered peaks capped with brilliant white snow off in the distance.

The serenity of the place amazed Mia, making it easy to forget the dreary town of Altin only a day before. _It really is the perfect place for a temple like this,_ Mia mused, taking in deep breaths of the pristine air, untainted by smoke or other contaminants from large towns or cities dotting the landscape.

Though the architectural style of the temple and its surrounding area was reminiscent of Xian, the surroundings differed slightly due to the inability of cherry trees to grow in the higher altitude. It was a simpler place, dotted with pine trees and plant life that could survive in the thinner air, though the landscape was still filled with color from the patches of wildflowers growing in the region.

Mia walked across the inlaid stones on the ground near the entrance and down the steps leading up to the temple, passing by some of the temple disciples going about their morning routine. With a quick nod of acknowledgement to the temple's residents, Mia began to scan her surroundings for any sign of Isaac, bringing her hand up to her eyes to shade them from the piercing gaze of the rising sun as it glared through the cracks between distant mountain peaks.

The path away from the temple winded downward, further into the hidden valley headed in the direction Mia and her friends would need to go after finishing up their business with Hama and Feizhi by providing assistance looking for the boy named Hsu.

Mia smiled to herself at the thought. She was glad to know that despite everything going on around them and the importance of their quest, Isaac always found time to help those in need. It was a quality that not many people possessed and Mia knew it was something that made following the blonde boy on their quest feel like the natural thing to do, both for herself and Ivan and Garet.

Smiling at the thought, Mia remembered when she first saw that quality on full display shortly after joining the three boys and leaving Imil to head for the town of Kiloma. The holy tree of the nearby forest had cursed the people in the region, somehow turning them into trees and although they were able to break the curse by curing the dying tree with pure water from the fully lit Mercury Lighthouse, it was the river crossing incident where Mia first knew she would fit in with the group of boys.

One of the people who was turned into a tree had been knocked over and was dangerously close to being swept away by the swift currents. Isaac couldn't just leave them trapped helplessly that way and enlisted the rest of the group to assist in moving the boxes from the Bilibin barricade (originally set up to prevent the spread of the curse past the town of Kiloma) and hold them in place so Isaac could jump across the river and using his psynergy to pull the tree to shore safely.

Risking his own life for a total stranger without hesitation came naturally to Isaac, a trait that Mia both admired and feared. _It might be the death of him some day_ , she thought, shaking her head slightly in amusement, knowing that Isaac would be Isaac. They had found out later when staying in the reopened town of Kiloma that the people they helped had been frozen in place as trees from the curse and were blocking the path with Saturos and Menardi made their way through in a rush to the next lighthouse after the "tree" Isaac saved stopped by town to thank them for their help.

Apparently Saturous' group had pushed them out of the way with no regard for their safety in order to unblock the path and proceed forward on their quest, and even now Mia could feel the anger rise inside her at Alex's involvement with them and his callous disregard for others, standing by and watching it happen without any intervention.

Yanking her mind back to the present, Mia allowed her fury to dissipate as she reminded herself that the new Alex was no longer the one she once knew from the Mercury Clan and tried to disassociate herself from her emotions at his betrayal. While not entirely successful, she did manage to maintain her calm and collected demeanor as disappointment remained buried in her heart.

Pushing that disappointment away was always a struggle for Mia, but she distracted herself from it by once again paying attention to her surroundings as she looked for Isaac. _He would not have wandered far,_ Mia knew, understanding his tendency to wander off short distances from camp so as not to disturb the others when practicing his psynergy or swordsmanship. It wouldn't be the first time she ran into him training at the crack of dawn.

Instead of training as she was expecting, Mia's eyes met a different sight when she finally located the blonde boy sitting atop one of the many grassy hills dotting the landscape. A light breeze caused cerulean locks to fall in her face, causing Mia to brush them aside as she took in the scene before her. Isaac was sitting and staring off into the distance at slightly more than a ninety degree angle from Mia, the grasses nearby waving gently in the wind.

Next to him was the violet haired girl Feizhi, standing tall at the top of the hill overlooking the winding road down the the valley below. She turned her head sideways and down to look at Isaac as Mia watched her mouth a few words and point off in the distance to which Isaac replied and leaned backward with the support of his arms. Mia felt a pang of unease run through her, disappearing as quickly as it came, but shaking her slightly all the same as she looked on at the picture perfect scene in front of her.

 _Jealousy...?_ Mia wondered if she diagnosed the sudden feeling correctly, thinking back to Hama and her explanation about the empathetic nature of Jupiter adepts making it easier for them to read emotion. _Ivan would probably know better than I would,_ she thought dismissing the strange event quickly in favor of uncertainty about what she should do for the second time that morning. _I doubt there's any need for that to be a private conversation...but I don't really want to interrupt them either_.

As Mia waited in limbo attempting to come to a decision on what to do, the choice was made easy for her when she felt a gentle slap of a hand on her back as Garet passed by from behind, silently encouraging her to follow him while simultaneously saying good morning in a wordless fashion. "No need to be shy," the Mars adept said with an amused smile as he moved past her and started climbing up the small hill.

"But...Garet...I-" Mia tried to articulate her thought process surprised by the redhead boy's sudden arrival and boldness.

Isaac must have noticed the movement out of the corner of his eye, because he turned and stood up to face the newcomer as Feizhi took note of his arrival as well. "Hey Garet!" Isaac called out to the approaching adept even as his gaze moved past his bulky friend and settled on the Mercury adept behind Garet.

A smile graced Isaac's features as he noticed Mia's presence and Mia could feel his gaze linger on her as he waved, deciding she was too far to really hear his words. Mia's embarrassment kicked up again at the unexpected situation, but she returned the smile and followed Garet's path up the hill until she reached where both boys and Feizhi were standing waiting for her.

Feizhi greeted both of them verbally as well with a semi-formal bow, somewhat unsure if she should be casual around the group or not, which Mia and Garet replied to in kind. "Morning Garet," Isaac said nonchalantly, attempting to establish a casual mood among the four adepts to make Feizhi more comfortable in their presence. "I see you brought Mia along with you this morning too," he added with another smile in the cerulean haired girl's direction.

Garet laughed at the joke and put a hand on Mia's shoulder as she stood next to him. "Indeed I did," the Mars adept said, playing along with his friend. For Mia it was the perfect cover and she laughed along with the other two in an attempt to hide her moment of indecision from the pair that didn't already know.

Garet removed his hand and gave Mia a wink out of the corner of his eye as if to say _I have your back._ Mia just shook her head with mock disappointment at Garet and looked away as the Mars adept dropped his hand.

There was a hint of a smile on Feizhi's face as she watched the exchange between the friends, enjoying the casual nature of their interaction. Isaac drew her into the conversation as well by explaining what the two had been talking about previously. "Feizhi was just telling me about our path ahead," Isaac said, indicating the road heading into the valley and across the the other side.

Mia looked out at the winding road with Garet, following the path to the south with her eyes as it disappeared into the distance down in the valley. "If you go far enough on that trail it links up with Lamakan Desert," Feizhi said helpfully. "Unfortunately...that desert is really not a place you want to be right now. It was known before as a hot and dry desert but ever since the psynergy stones began to appear that place has become unbearable...evil…"

Garet eyed her with a skeptical look at first, not entirely trusting the superstitious explanation, but his expression hardened as he considered what they've already been through.

Mia's mind was in the same place, checking off all the unnatural occurrences since the elemental stars had been taken from Mt. Alph back by Isaac's homeland. _A cursed forest and town, an evil forest with mutated wildlife, a mine where the dead rise to attack the living…_ It was certainly already a crazy world they lived in these days.

"Great. An evil desert...just what I always wanted," Garet complained, slowly scratching his head with his hand as he sighed with exasperation.

"Apparently nobody has found a way to successfully cross it since that day," Isaac added, finishing the story for the two newcomers.

"I'm assuming our route forward is directly through that desert isn't it?" Mia asked, knowing full well what the answer would be since they were even discussing it in the first place. Isaac nodded to confirm her fears and she couldn't help but to marvel at their bad luck.

"Another first for us then I guess," Garet stated humorlessly. "Someone should really start keeping track of the records we're setting on this journey you know."

Isaac gave a half smile at his friend's determination to complete the quest and the assumption that they'd find a way through somehow.

"Well there is some good news in regards to that," Feizhi said, glancing over at the rising sun to determine the time as she spoke. "Master Hama has theorized a way to make it through, but we haven't had any way to really test it yet due to the inherent dangers of the desert coupled with the heat."

Isaac already heard the theory so he watched the reactions of Mia and Garet as they perked up at the idea of a chance to make it through.

Feizhi seemed somewhat flustered at the sudden extra attention and glanced over at Isaac for reassurance, composing herself as the blonde boy gave her a nod of encouragement.

"Well...Master Hama can explain it better… but basically the main reason the desert is impassible is the heat right now. Keeping cool is the only way to make it through and there are oases in the desert that can help you do that...however it's almost impossible to find them so the real trick is finding an oasis when you need it." Feizhi paused and noticed she still held the attention of the two adepts who were carefully considering her words as she spoke.

"Master Hama knows another Jupiter ability that she's been trying to teach me that's designed to help find hidden things. She believes that spell is the trick to telling the difference between a mirage and an oasis in order to cross the desert and she mentioned that your friend Ivan might be able to learn it." Feizhi shifted nervously before speaking again. "I'm not too good at it myself, but Master Hama believes in Ivan's ability for some reason and thinks he might have better luck with it...I think she was planning to discuss it with him during our trip to search for Hsu today…"

Mia looked thoughtful as she mulled over the Jupiter adept's words. _More references of Mater Hama's confidence in Ivan's ability...there has to be something more to it...either a premonition...or something she knows that we don't…_ Mia noticed, filing the observation away in the back of her mind for another time.

Re-focusing on the actual discussion at hand, Mia picked through the theory Feizhi presented. Garet seemed to be in heavy thought as well, considering the feasibility of the plan assuming Ivan would be able to learn how to use the reveal ability.

"The logic is all sound assuming the ability will work to determine mirage from reality," Mia stated, looking over at Isaac who nodded to indicate he had reached the same conclusion.

Garet considered it a bit longer, a serious look on his face as he looked to each adept in turn before resting his gaze on Feizhi. "You say this is something you think will work in theory, but that you haven't actually tested it…" Garet addressed. He glanced out toward the entrance to the desert on the other side of the valley as if he could inspect what was out there. "What are the dangers you spoke of that prevented you from testing it?" Garet asked the Jupiter adept.

Feizhi frowned at the question, knowing the answer was unlikely to please the redhead. "There are tribes of orcs and rat men that call that inhospitable place home and have become more aggressive since the psynergy rain," she explained, once again referring to the event triggered by the removal of the elemental stars from their sacred resting place.

She shrugged helplessly. "There are other monsters living in that area as well that have always been a hazard for caravans passing through. It's seems they've only become worse as of late as well. We aren't warriors such as yourselves so it would not be wise of us to venture into that desert in its present state to test the idea."

Garet seemed satisfied by the answer, though the mention of more monsters to fight did not make any of the three adepts particularly thrilled about the prospect of crossing the desert.

 _This one single event has had such a huge impact across all of Weyard…_ Mia thought, once again hearing about changes to the environment since the Sol Sanctum event. _The elements are out of balance and all these changes happened because the elemental stars were stolen...that's it…_

 _I would hate to know how devastating the changes to the world would be if the lighthouses were actually all lit…_ Mia shuddered at the notion.

"We live in dangerous times," Isaac commented echoing the thoughts of everyone standing in silence on the hill.

Nobody spoke as they left each other to their own thoughts on the matter, the sun fully visible above the mountain line in the distance indicating how much time had passed while the group had been discussing the desert.

The danger comment seemed to remind Feizhi of her friend Hsu and she dropped the more polite and dignified manner she had been conducting herself in as she focused solely in on that point. "Hama should be ready to go by now…" the violet haired girl stated impatiently, displaying signs of unease despite Hama's attempts to calm the girl the night before.

It struck Mia that this was the first time she had seen Feizhi relatively calm since meeting her back in the town of Xian before their journey to Altin. _She was so frantic before and we only met her fleetingly up until now...she's like a whole different person after Hama calmed her down._

It was still quite evident that the girl was antsy about Hsu and Mia wasn't the only one who picked up on it. "Perhaps we should go find Ivan and Master Hama?" Isaac suggested helpfully, implying they should get on the road as planned to backtrack where the boulders blocked the road to begin looking for the missing boy.

Feizhi nodded, once again looking toward the sun with an expression of worry, thinking about how her friend could still be out there needing help. She sighed and glanced back toward the other three adepts standing with her. "I know I worry too much sometimes and that Master Hama is right about Hsu being safe...I just can't shake this feeling that he needs help though…"

Isaac placed a comforting hand on Feizhi's shoulder. "Not to worry," the blond boy said. "We will find your friend and make sure he's safe," Isaac promised with a nod toward the temple.

Taking that as the cue to head back, Mia and Garet turned and headed back the way they came earlier to grab Ivan and Hama.

…..

As it turned out, Ivan and Hama had spent the morning on learning the power to reveal using psynergy while the other adepts had been outside for the sunrise.

"Remember...it's not a power to show you things that are hidden, but rather the ability to see things as they actually are," Mia heard Hama lecturing Ivan about the uses of his newfound power as the group hiked slowly along the dusty mountain roads towards the blocked off mountain pass.

It was among the boulders and landslide that Hama suspected they would find Hsu if the boy needed their help, but her Jupiter powers could tell he was safe from actual harm for the time being. That knowledge seemed to ease Feizhi's state of mind, her concern for Hsu a fleeting memory of a time she was less certain about his fate. The violet haired girl now walked alongside Isaac and Garet, making small talk with the two boys as they moved forward, struggling slightly to keep up with their longer strides as they walked

Occasional bursts of psynergy passed by Mia's senses as Ivan continued to practice using Reveal under Hama's watchful eye. The undertones of Jupiter energy were there but the spell itself had very little in the way of visual indicators to tell that the psynergy was cast. _Jupiter abilities seem more...subtle than the other elements,_ Mia thought as she kept an eye on Ivan's attempts.

The terrain around them became more rocky with each passing step, feeling like the group was headed back to the mines from the day before. An unconscious shiver ran through Mia as she remembered their unholy depths with reanimated miners doomed to spend eternity wandering the underground passages, a soulless shell of their former selves.

 _This world has seen a lot of suffering recently_ , Mia mused, thinking back to the other events of their journey so far, yet still feeling the inexorable pull of the evil desert that still lay ahead. _What would it be like to traverse through such a place? The Mogall forest...it felt...wrong. It was off putting somehow…_ She was unable to find the proper words to express herself. _This desert could be the same way. Somehow, something will make the place feel different than it should. What did all these places feel like before the elements were thrown into disarray?_ Mia found herself wondering.

The gentle weight of a hand on her shoulder stopped the dark line of thinking the Mercury adept was heading down. Startled and surprised after forgetting her surroundings, Mia glanced over to see the concerned face of Isaac looking at her, reading her expression.

 _Of course Isaac picked up on it,_ Mia withheld a sigh, knowing that the blond boy shared her misgivings about the events as of late. Aware of her surroundings once more, she gave Isaac a wordless half smile to indicate she was only lost in thought and that nothing was wrong. The boy accepted her reply and silently dropped his hand from her shoulder as the pair walked together quietly.

Looking down at the ground to hide a genuine smile, Mia thought about the wordless communication and how Isaac always seemed to know what she meant despite the nonverbal nature of their communication. _Perhaps that ability isn't only limited to Jupiter adepts after all…_ Mia thought, in much better spirits with her mind off of the seemingly decaying state of Weyard.

Feeling a gaze, she glanced up and accidentally caught the eye of Feizhi who was still walking alongside Garet as the fire adept spoke to her. The worried look on her face surprised Mia before Feizhi turned away to hide her expression as well. _Was that...a hint of jealousy?_ Mia found herself wondering, trying to place the glint in Feizhi's eye as the girl turned away.

Nobody else seemed to notice the action and Mia found herself wondering if she imagined it in the first place. Isaac tossed another look over at Mia as if sensing the struggle to comprehend in her mind and something clicked. _Isaac's attention is focused on me now…_ Mia realized, a thought dawning on her that seemed crazy, but just realistic enough not to dismiss outright. _It would explain why Feizhi seems...disinterested by Garet's conversation,_ Mia thought as she observed the violet haired addition to their group, slowly building credibility for her theory.

Feihzi was staring straight ahead, determinedly refusing to glance back over at either Isaac or Mia as she walked, instead putting one foot in front of the other as Garet's words rolled past her ear, not holding her attention.

"Feizhi?" Garet asked finally after a moment of silence was the only reply to a question hanging in the air.

The Jupiter adept was startled by her own name and broke from her thoughts as she located the redhead boy next to her with her eyes. "Sorry...yes?" She asked, inquiring what she had missed in her trance.

"Are you all right?" Garet asked cautiously, abandoning his previous question in favor of checking up on the girl.

"I'm sorry for worrying you," Feizhi replied, giving a smile as she opted to lie about he thoughts. "I was just worried about Hsu and was distracted…"

 _She developed feelings for him,_ Mia thought simply, feeling the deceit from Feizhi's words distracting Garet from her true thoughts about the blonde haired Venus adept. Mia had of course heard the phrase "Love at first sight" before, but it was almost an incredulous thing to think that Feizhi could have actually fallen for Isaac in such a short time.

Mia's heart rate increased slightly at the thought and a wave of unease and mistrust swept through her as she once again looked over at the violet haired girl, who was avoiding her gaze. Mia's confusion at her own reaction enveloped her thoughts like a storm, smothering out any consideration for her surroundings. The image of Feizhi and Isaac appeared in the dark recesses of her mind and though she was able to push it away, Mia couldn't help but dwell on the answer to her real question: _Why is that thought so unsettling to me?_

It was not yet destined for her to find out since the group finally reached the boulders blocking the silk road through the mountain pass that had forced Mia and her friends to detour through Altin's mines. If not for the clearly blocked road, the imposing rocks would have looked like they had been in place for centuries, untouched and immovable.

"We're here," Hama said from the back of the group as they approached the rock formations cautiously.

Ivan had stopped practicing his use of reveal and walked up to one one of the massive boulders blocking the way. Running his hand along the rough exterior of the rock, he walked slowly around it, careful not to disturb its resting place despite the mass being too great to displace by hand. "I don't think Lift is going to work here," he commented humorlessly.

Feizhi looked over at Hama, all troubles with Isaac and Mia forgotten for the moment as she refocused on the boy they had come to help. "I feel like Hsu is nearby…" the student told the master, waiting for her confirmation. Hama closed her eyes and stood silently for a moment before confirming she felt the boy's presence nearby.

Wasting no time, Feizhi ran up to the rocks and began trying to peer through cracks to see if there was any way through. "Hsu?!" She called out loudly, echoing off sheer cliff edges next to them on either side where the boulders piled up.

"Hsu?!" She called out again, trying to find some vantage point from where to peer into the rocks. Mia heard movement from beyond the boulders blocking their path, a faint shifting noise and then a voice called out back to them. "Feizhi?" The voice asked surprised, recognizing the tone of the violet haired girl. "Feizhi...is that you?" The voice called out again right after.

"Hsu! Yes it is me, Feizhi," she called back in reply. "What happened? Are you hurt?" the girl asked quickly, visible relief on her face knowing for sure that Hsu was here and able to speak.

Master Hama also stepped forward and raised her voice. "Hsu...are you all right in there?" she asked.

"Master…" Mia heard Hsu reply as he recognized Hama's voice. "Yes I am all right...just somewhat...stuck," the boy answered their questions. Hama seemed content to let the boy explain of his own volition and Feizhi stayed quiet as well, following her master's lead.

"I ah...might have tried to take a shortcut through the blockage instead of going around and trapped myself in here," the boy added sheepishly. "I set up camp for the night and was going to try to find a way out today."

Hama shook her head silently and let Feizhi do the talking for her. "We'll get you out!" Feizhi proclaimed, having no basis on which to deliver her promise. "This was dangerous though! You definitely should have gone around the safe way instead of trying to get through this mess...what if we didn't know to come find you?" she asked.

"Sorry Feizhi...Sorry Master," Hsu said, apologizing for his carelessness. "I would have definitely found some way out...probably. I appreciate you coming to help though," he added, relief just as palpable in his voice as it was in Feizhi's previously.

Hama inspected the mounds of cracked rock, pressed tightly again each other, marveling at how perfectly the dislodged boulders managed to seal the pass. "We brought some travelers that stopped by the visit the temple to help us get you out as well," Hama explained to Hsu, revealing the presence of Mia and the other adepts.

Mia joined in the hunt with her companions as well, scouring the surrounding rocks for any way to access the area Hsu had somehow made it to. Garet jumped up onto a rock and used his hands to find a groove he could hold onto in order to attempt to climb over the massive pile.

 _That idiot is going to hurt himself_ Mia mused, catching the brash action out of the corner of her eye. Impulsiveness showing through, Garet struggled to find purchase for his hand farther up the rock to continue climbing. Walking over to him, Mia reached out her hand and grabbed Garet's shirt, pulling gently with just enough force to get him to let go of the rock and hop back down to the ground safely.

"You're going to injure yourself like that," Mia lectured, preempting Garet's response to her actions. "That's how Hsu got stuck in there in the first place."

Garet shrugged sheepishly, but didn't try to make any rationalization for his behavior. "Where should we be looking?" he asked the group as a whole.

Nobody immediately answered as they were all investigating their own ideas on how to get to the trapped boy. Isaac was walking along the edges of the sheer cliff walls where the rubble met the wall, looking for any indication of a passage that might only be lightly block by cracked and broken rocks and could possibly be cleared out.

Ivan paced slowly back and forth, considering the situation and trying to determine a solution to the predicament. He was normally good at these kinds of puzzles and working out an answer on how to proceed past them, especially after the Mercury lighthouse threw so many thier way.

The problem was that he had no way of knowing if there even was a solution to this one, since it was an occurrence out in the world and not designed as a test inside an elemental lighthouse. The younger boy's gaze was drawn to Isaac inspecting the rubble near the cliff edge and he noticed small crevices in the walls, cracked where the boulders had fallen and shattered the rock on the sides.

The darkened indentations proved to only be a few inches to a few feet deep in most cases upon further inspection of the large cracks in the stone. It appeared they would not be able to make it past any of the boulders by utilizing the cracks in the wall to slip by.

Mia glanced around at her allies, and noticed Ivan inspecting the cracks in the walls before giving up and looking at his surroundings again. She wasn't having any more luck than the younger blonde boy, or anyone for that matter, and their ideas on how to get to Hsu were running out.

Ivan closed his eyes and Mia felt the familiar wave of psynergy emanate from him as he called upon his Jupiter powers. _The power of 'reveal' again…_ Mia recognized the spell Ivan was practicing on the trip up to the boulders with Master Hama. Despite the closed eyes, Ivan seemed to scan the area intently, a strange sight for anyone that didn't understand the way his psynergy worked.

"Here," Ivan called out, catching the attention of everyone else with the single, soft spoken word. Ivan's eyes opened and everyone followed them to the side of the wall near where Hsu was trapped, trying to see what only Ivan did.

Catching on, Hama also used reveal to inspect the area Ivan was walking towards as the other adepts looked on. "It seems you've passed the practical test," she joked with the younger Jupiter adept, a smile on her face knowing that they were another step closer to rescuing her student.

As Ivan reached the side and manually inspected the rocks blocking what he had seen, Ivan explained. "It seems there's a crevice here behind some of this rubble that runs horizontally over to where Hsu is trapped. We should be able to use that to get through to him."

Eager to get Hsu out, Feizhi pushed on the rocks blocking the way into the crevice, attempting to move them manually with no success. "These rocks might still be an issue," she said, clearly trying to find some way past them to no avail.

Ivan held his arm out to stop her and make Feizhi back off of the small boulder in their path saying, "Don't worry, this is where Isaac comes in."

Mia could feel a small grin creeping onto her face as she looked over to Isaac, knowing what Ivan had in mind. Isaac apparently did too because he walked over near the boulder and called upon his psynergy to lift the main obstacle out of the way, slowly raising it above their heads so Ivan could clear out the remaining debris blocking the crevice.

Feizhi watched the rock float above them as she waited for Ivan to finish clearing the entrance. "Thank you Isaac! Thank you Ivan!" she cried out, energetically giving Isaac a quick hug for their successful help and catching the blonde boy off guard.

The stone Isaac was lifting wobbled in the air as Isaac's concentration faltered with the violet haired girl throwing herself at him. Mia's shock was not enough for her to ignore the dangerous situation and she yelled, "Watch out!" prompting Ivan to jump back and Feizhi to disengage herself from Isaac.

Steadying the rock, an embarrassed Isaac glanced quickly in Mia's direction at the outburst before addressing Feizhi. "I...need to concentrate on my psynergy," Isaac gave as an awkward excuse, trying not to think about the Jupiter adept's sudden embrace.

To her credit, Feizhi looked somewhat mortified at her impulsive act, face flushing deep scarlet as she avoided eye contact with everyone while under a withering stare from her master. "I...I'm sorry…" she stuttered, attempting to apologize with a quick bow to Isaac, reverting to her formal nature as best she could.

Ivan shook off the awkward aftermath of the moment and distracted himself by going back to clearing the rest of the rock, joined by Garet who had a shocked expression on his face. Mia stood there just staring at Isaac's stoic expression as the blonde boy tried to hide his reaction, staring more intently than normal on the object of his psynergy.

Ivan cleared the way and squeezed through the crevice and around the remaining debris to reach the other side. Glad for a distraction from the previous events, Feizhi followed quickly after him to go to Hsu and escape the growing awkwardness on the near side of the boulders.

Mia could hear Ivan and Feizhi's voices carry from beyond the wall of rock as they reached Hsu on the other side. As the three scrambled back through and got safely to the other side, Hsu raised his eyebrow at the floating rock before Isaac lowered it gently to the ground again.

Introductions were made as Hsu met the group of adepts that had come to help Feizhi and Hama get him out of the rockslide area, however Mia found her mind elsewhere as she observed the now awkward behavior between Feizhi and Isaac. The Jupiter adept used Hsu's rescue as an excuse to stay closer to him and at the same time distance herself from Isaac while still throwing quick glances the blond boy's way when she thought nobody was looking.

Isaac seemed to be struggling to interpret Feizhi's actions, though the rest of the group was certain to notice the obvious infatuation she had with him. The wind lightly blew through Mia's hair and she used her hand to brush it out of her eyes as she noticed Isaac slowing his pace and falling back in the group to match his step to hers.

"Hey Mia," he greeted simply, acting more awkwardly than normal, obviously not sure how to handle his current situation. Mia smiled at the fact Isaac had come to walk with her, but took a quick glance over at Feizhi. The Jupiter adept was distracted by Master Hama and Hsu and had not yet noticed Isaac's movement.

"Hey Isaac…" Mia replied back in way of a greeting. Questions were running through Mia's head, but she knew the blonde boy wasn't going to have all the answers. _What was that all about? Why did Feizhi…?_ Shaking her head, she settled on a much simpler question. "Are you all right?" Mia asked, not referring directly to the random hug from Feizhi, but giving Isaac a way to talk about it if he chose to do so.

Isaac gave her a genuine smile, not filled with the embarrassment and awkwardness of the previous moments. "I'm fine," Isaac replied sincerely. "It's just been an interesting day with a few surprises."

Mia knew exactly what the blonde boy was getting at with that statement and said, "The hug…" in an absentminded voice, trailing off slowly. She let out a small gasp and put her hand over her mouth as she shut it, realizing she had accidentally spoken out loud. _Oh no! I didn't mean to bring it up but I didn't think before speaking…_

Isaac scratched the tip of his nose as he looked away for a few seconds in embarrassment, his face turning pink at the mention of the moment between himself and Feizhi.

Mia wanted to kick herself for bringing it up, but it seemed Isaac didn't mind talking about it because he spoke up shortly. "Yeah...that was...somewhat awkward I guess," Isaac understated, in an attempt to brush it off as less than it turned out to be.

"Yes...I suppose it was a bit...random," Mia replied, trying to find words that matched his and downplay the importance of the hug in her mind.

Isaac looked nervous again, but said, "It's just that I...don't really know her...you know? If it was someone I knew better it would have been less awkward...probably." He laughed. "Jenna always used to hug us all the time and that never really bothered me because I knew her so well...If it was someone I knew better like Jenna or you…" Isaac trailed off, realizing he might have just said something else to make the conversation more embarrassing than it already was.

Mia noticed Isaac's face flush a darker red at his own words, but was too busy hearing the words ' _Like You'_ echoing in her head to make much of it. Her cheeks gained a tinge of pink and she swallowed nervously. "I could see why it would be less awkward that way," Mia replied, her voice wavering slightly as she put all her effort into not reacting in a way that would making things weirder than they already were.

Isaac was flustered trying to clear things up, wishing he could take back the comment. "I didn't...What I mean to say was-"

Mia cut him off quickly to save herself from hearing Isaac's excuse. "Don't worry I understand," she said mustering up a smile at the embarrassed blonde boy. "You just wanted to say that you haven't known her for more than a couple of days...I know that was your point."

Isaac sighed, calming down a bit after Mia demonstrated her understanding of what he was trying to get across with his words. _After all it's not like Isaac wanted me to jump into his arms and randomly hug him like that…_ Mia thought as the image of Feizhi embracing Isaac once again popped into her mind.

 _There it is again,_ Mia thought as she walked in silence side by side with Isaac on the road back to the temple. The idea of Feizhi hugging Isaac somehow irked Mia and she was getting frustrated at her inability to comprehend why. The feeling was similar to the one she had the same morning when seeing Isaac talking to Feizhi on the hill at the crack of dawn.

 _Why do these thoughts bother me?_ She asked herself inquisitively, having no idea how to handle feelings she had never really felt before. _None of this really makes sense!_ Mia's thoughts cried out as she kicked a pebble on the path in front of her, watching it skip off the side of the road and disappear into the surrounding brush.

Mia wished her thoughts on the matter and the image of the hug could just disappear like the pebble, but she could tell very clearly they were not going to go away so easily. _It's silly that such a minor thing has any affect on my mood at all..._ she thought, berating herself for how her thoughts were stuck on what happened.

Mia drew in a long breath of the fresh mountain air to help calm herself down, at least for the time being on the way back to the temple. Though her frustrations subsided temporarily, the image of the two adepts in an embrace continued to plague her mind on the return trip no matter how much she tried to ignore it and instead think about the upcoming crossing of the Lamakan Desert.

* * *

AN: I did end up deviating slightly from the way the games portray some events specifically in regards to how Hsu was trapped and the seriousness of it, however it wouldn't have made sense to follow the game here and have the adepts/Hama/Feizhi unconcerned about Hsu if Feizhi did indeed see him trapped under a boulder unable to move all night. I'll try to keep deviations to a minimum throughout the story, however I will break some parts of the game if it is needed for the story's progression/realism.

As always, I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think =)


	4. A Desolate Crossing

**Chapter 4: A Desolate Crossing**

The heat hit Mia in palpable waves, an assault that stopped just short of burning her skin as she slowly shuffled through the thick desert sands with Isaac, Ivan, and Garet. _I understand now why Feizhi called this place evil,_ Mia thought, keeping her breaths as shallow as they could be. _It's like the opposite of some of the worst winters ever in Imil. There you would limit breathing to only what was necessary to avoid freezing your lungs…_ Mia took in another short breath and expelled the air quickly again as her chest burned. _Here the air is so hot that we have to do the same thing in order to avoid the intense heat. My lungs are on fire, my lips are on fire, my mouth is on fire…_

The group of adepts kept their talking to a minimum in order to avoid any more unnecessary exposure to the heat as they trudged along in search of an oasis or cave system in which to cool down. Though the landscape was dotted with pools of water, Mia could see why the power of Reveal was invaluable in finding them. The shimmering reflection of the extreme heat on the distant sand looked like water and was easy to mistake for an oasis among the arid environment.

The air here was still and unmoving, providing no perception of relief from the insane temperatures. Mia could feel the harsh grains of sand piercing through extra protective layers of cloth around her feet and roasting them with blisters, almost wishing they had attempted to cross the desert at night when it would be slightly cooler.

The problem with that idea was the monsters. In the daytime most of the denizens of the desert were hidden in cooler places out of the way of the heat, and would come out at night to feed and live. While the desert would certainly be easier to cross at night when the heat was somewhat lessened, the adepts would not have any ability to see effectively enough to fight monsters at the same time while navigating and successfully traversing the Lamakan Desert. Doing so was basically a death sentence, though crossing in the daytime wasn't turning out to be much better.

After being in the desert for more than 10 minutes, Mia had no idea how any living thing could willingly call this place home. It was easy for anyone to start feeling delirious walking through the forsaken place and dehydration was a very real fear as sweat evaporated right off the bodies of the traveling adepts. _No wonder the silk trade has completely collapsed,_ Mia thought. _There's no way any trade caravan could ever get through here in the state of the desert now…_

Mia was glad that the monster encounters so far had been few and far between. Isaac had already learned the hard way about attempting to use his sword in the intense heat and had burned his hand rather badly when touching the metal part of the hilt in their first encounter. Mia had healed it up for him, but there was no relief from the superheated air and she could tell it was painful for the blonde boy.

Isaac clenched his burned hand together in an attempt to make a fist, and grimaced at the pain as he continued to walk forward with the rest of the group. Mia just wished there was something more she could do for him, but knew her healing magic would be ineffective at healing the burn any further, especially given the insane surrounding temperature.

Despite the agonizing pain, Isaac continued to flex his hand, knowing that the range of motion and ability to use his sword arm effectively could still be a matter of life and death in the hostile desert. Mia's mind turned to her skills in healing and herbalism from back in Imil, welcoming the distraction as she considered how best to heal Isaac's hand. Psynergy could work wonders, but it also had limitations on what even it could accomplish.

 _If I was able to combine an herb with sap of the Mercida tree that would certainly help…_ Mia considered, thinking back to her days learning about local plant life and the properties of flora and fauna growing in the region with medicinal uses. _I know I don't have any though…_ Mia knew, never even considering the possibility that Mercida sap would be necessary for her journey. It didn't help that the tree was as rare as trees come and that Mercida sap was one of the best kept secrets of the Mercury Clan due to the impressive restorative effects attracting the attention of greed hungry merchants who would seek to profit from it.

 _Too bad we don't have more of the water from the Mercury Lighthouse…_ Mia mused, remembering how easily a single large flask of it was able to heal an entire forest by returning the Holy Tree to health. She was certain that the water, now flowing freely from the lighthouse, would have an effect on the singed flesh and mend it back as if nothing ever happened. _The water is so potent...and it was able to heal those who were sick back home as well,_ Mia continued thinking, straying from her original idea on how to relieve Isaac's pain.

Something clicked in Mia's mind and she almost stumbled in her surprise, catching her balance and preventing herself from falling at the last moment. Thankfully, the others were too engrossed in their own ways to ignore the heat that they didn't notice her near mishap.

Mia's shocked mind returned to the revelation she created. _What if...the reason Mercida trees had healing properties was due to their proximity to the Mercury Lighthouse and the waters that had been locked away for ages?_

The theory was bold and Mia knew it. She probably wouldn't have even believed it herself had she not seen the restorative powers of the Water of Hermes firsthand. _After all, Mercida trees are so rare because they only grow next to the lighthouse…_ Mia thought, putting the pieces of the puzzle in place. It made sense to Mia based on her knowledge of plant life and the idea that the trees could have been feeding off the dormant Water of Hermes and providing its power to the village in a diluted form. Despite the plausibility of the idea, she still couldn't help it as a seed of doubt entered her mind.

 _Why would lighting the lighthouse give us better access to healing waters though?_ Mia wondered, not for the first time questioning the idea of a benefit as consequence for the disaster of the beacon being lit. _That line of thinking inevitably leads down a dark path,_ the Mercury adept knew. That path would throw all her teachings on the elemental lighthouse and the reason for their entire quest into jeopardy and so she abandoned the thought as she had before, refocusing her mind on the task at hand.

 _If I don't have access to the Mercida trees, then what could I use as a replacement…?_ Though her studies on medicine encompassed treatments found in other parts of Weyard, Mia had mainly focused on local remedies that were readily available for practical reasons. After all, she hadn't been planning on a trip that would potentially span continents. The relentless heat clouded her memory as she attempted to recall what she had learned of arid environments and the vast differences between them and her seaside home.

Mia knew what she was looking for, but could not quite recall the name of it. The image of a root appeared in her mind and she wondered if it was even possible for the plant to grow in a desert like this that snuffs out all life. _Casius root…._ That was the name that finally came to Mia's mind. It would be nowhere near as effective as the Mercida sap, but it would work well with the herbs Mia had on hand to soothe burns.

Mia resolved to keep an eye out for the small thorny plant the roots came from as they continued through the desert, pleased by the fact that even though she was so far from home, she could still rely on her expertise in herbalism to pull through.

The sands beneath Mia's feet were silky smooth, almost like a beach, but without any water in sight. _The plants would not grow here,_ Mia knew, feeling the burning hot sand sink down under each footfall. Rocky cliff-like ledges lined the side of the sandy areas casting small shadows in the midday sun. It would be in these shadows or around an oasis that Mia might be able to find her plants, out of the direct sunlight where it was cooler or near a more plentiful water source. _After all, I can barely stand this heat for a few minutes at best. A plant could never survive in this part of the desert with the sand and no way to avoid the hellish heat._

Her thoughts were interrupted by the shifting of sand in front of the group as a quadrupedal lizard with violet scales burrowed up from below where it was resting before being disturbed by the adept's movements. Garet stepped back from the monster, as he was in the lead, and held out an arm to stop the rest of the adepts from moving any closer while the creature shook off the sand on its scales.

The dark purplish hue was lined with black along the edges of the scales, the discoloration more noticeable on top of the creature, where the heated sand would lay above the resting lizard. _Those scales must be extremely hard or thick in order to protect it from the kind of heat found in this desert,_ Mia thought. The blackened discoloration bothered Mia, but she had no time to dwell on it since the lizard was upon them.

The creature hissed in what almost seemed like pain, but then attacked, running at Garet because he was the closest. Garet dodged out of the way, hindered by the softness of the sand, but deft enough to avoid the incoming bite. The lizard was about half the height of Garet and just as long, boasting a short, powerful tail.

Enraged by its close miss with Garet, the creature made a quick lunge at Ivan, who quickly dodged out of the way and began to call upon his psynergy to retaliate. Mia saw Isaac reach for his blade, hand hovering close to the sword he used in his first encounter in the desert and she drew in a breath to call out to Isaac and warn him to be careful.

Before she could, Isaac's hand stopped of its own accord, quivering slightly above the pommel of the sword before he made a fist and withdrew it from the vicinity of the hot metal blade. Mia breathed a sigh of relief, not realizing she was holding her breath at the thought of another burn.

Garet knew his psynergy would not be as effective against the creature due to the intense heat it endured on a daily basis, but sent a trail of flame blasting into the lizard anyway, distracting it from the rest of the group as they all prepared for battle.

Ivan cast a ray of lightning at the lizard, stunning it to prevent retaliation, but took a back seat in the fight to conserve his psynergy for finding oases to cool down in the desert. Mia called upon her psynergy as well and could feel the familiar power rushing from herself into her outstretched hand as she visualized spears of ice piercing their foe.

Releasing the pent up energy, Mia let her spell fly past the two boys on the front line and directly into the face of the lizard, shattering the ice upon impact and causing the lizard to writhe in pain. Shards of ice melted in the intense heat, flying through the air as the water droplets that formed evaporated into steam upon contact with the scales of the lizard.

 _Just how hot are those scales anyway?_ Mia asked herself incredulously. She didn't have the luxury of stopping to think about it though as the lizard swung its tail at Isaac and Garet.

"Watch out!" Mia called out to them, feeling the cost of her warning in her chest as the scorching air entered her lungs, causing an unpleasant burning sensation. Nothing was damaged, but it was painful to breathe for the next few seconds as her body tried to regulate the air temperature in her lungs.

The warning proved useful however and Isaac managed to jump over the tail's trajectory before using his psynergy to make a stone spire rise from the sands to block the swing and protect Garet from the attack. The stone cracked upon impact, a chunk of rock falling off of it and landing in the sand with a dull thud.

Recognizing the power behind the tail, both boys had a newfound respect for the creature's combat prowess and acted notably more defensive as they evaluated a new angle of attack. Outside of the desert, a single giant lizard like this would be no threat and would be easily dispatched by the group of four, however sands slowed their movement and the heat clouded their minds as the adepts faced off with the monster making it more difficult to continue the fight as the battle went on.

Attrition was not a card they could afford to play deep in the desert, especially with Ivan out of the picture, needing to save his powers to help keep the group safe from the heat.

Isaac and Garet gave each other a glance, nodding in agreement about what to do as they split up and spread out to give the lizard more to keep track of. Mia noticed the nonverbal communication between the two friends, born of their longstanding relationship with each other. _I wonder if I will reach that point one day…_ Mia thought, calling upon her psynergy again. The Mercury power flowed through her once more and she could feel the rush of energy concentrate in her hand with wisps of cerulean light emanating slowly from her palm.

Raising her hand towards the lizard, Mia focused her energy and summoned a torrent of ice to bombard the creature, having a similar effect as her ice spears earlier. A light cracking sound could be heard and Mia saw the abused scales on the back of the lizard with fractures in them, causing pain for the lizard every time it moved.

Isaac took full advantage of the opening Mia created and used his psynergy to make another spire under the lizard, opening a gash on its softer underbelly and knocking it to the side. Garet approached the injured monster and shot a torrent of fire into it, walking slowly as the flames licked at the creature, more effective now that the lizard had been injured and less protected by the hard scaly exterior.

There was a hissing noise from within the flames and an audible gurgle before Garet let up on the attack and inspected his handiwork. The lizard was dead, cracked scales blackened further by the inferno it was subjected to. Letting the psynergetic energy dissipate, the three adepts spared only a quick look at the corpse to ensure it was safe to continue on, with Ivan bringing up the rear.

After the wear of battle Mia could feel exhaustion begin to haunt her from expending too much energy in the desert wasteland under the merciless rays of the sun. Her only comfort was the sensation of Jupiter psynergy firing behind her as Ivan searched for a suitable place to rest and cool down a bit with his Reveal power. The heat was becoming unbearable to be in but none of the adepts voiced a complaint, knowing that talking would only make it worse.

The distortion of light from the intense heat created a shimmering effect on the horizon as Mia looked around, getting desperate for a cave system or oasis as she tread carefully with the rest of the group in an attempt to avoid any more monster encounters.

The feeling of her dry tongue sticking to the roof of her mouth was an unpleasant reminder for Mia of how quickly they could get dehydrated out in the desert. They had only been out in the heat again for half an hour since their last rest at a cave system a while back, but even so, the progress through the desert was gruelingly slow and it felt more like hours from the adept's perspectives.

 _I really can't stand this anymore…_ Mia thought, echoing the feelings of her other companions, though she didn't know it. _I just want to be out of here and take a nice long nap…_

Mia's eyes drooped as she slowly blinked, keeping her eyes closed for a few seconds while walking forward, feeling a wave of weariness wash over her. She closed her eyes again, keeping them shut and cut off from the harsh sunlight glaring down at her.

Before she knew it Mia was jerked from her stupor by a firm grip on her arm. Becoming aware of her surroundings again, the Mercury adept noticed she was off balance and had almost fallen if it wasn't for the support of Isaac next to her. Mia steadied herself with his help and noted the concern in Isaac's blue eyes.

"Thanks," Mia said with quiet gratitude, knowing that she would have had a much worse awakening if she fell on the scorching sand.

Isaac gave her a kind smile, though Mia could still see the lines of worry on his face as he replied with,"Of Course." Mia was fully awake again and Isaac withdrew his hand from her arm, allowing the girl to stand on her own, but still watching for any sign of collapse. "Are you all right?" Isaac asked her simply.

Isaac didn't get his answer because Ivan suddenly spoke, eagerness in his voice. "I found an oasis," the younger blonde boy stated, delighted at the prospect of getting out of the infernal heat. That statement was enough to catch the attention of all the adepts, who looked around, unable to distinguish mirages from reality to determine the location of the oasis.

"By all means, lead on then," Garet told Ivan, tired of the desert even with his Mars powers suppressing some of the suffering for him. The Jupiter adept released his hold on his psynergy and began walking in another direction towards the oasis he saw nearby.

Mia trudged dutifully along with the rest of the group, relying on Ivan's senses to lead them to the resting place. As they approached, Mia could begin to make out the pool of water with a small amount of greenery at its edges. This time it wasn't a mirage, and the energy level of the group peaked back up, knowing they would have a brief respite.

It was still hot out, but the temperature was no longer oppressive as the adepts made it to the shoreline of the medium sized pool of water. Exhausted, Ivan let himself collapse to the ground next to the oasis, reaching out a hand to cup some of the water and splash it across his face.

Mia found that she could breath normally here without the heat burning up her lungs, and gulped down full breaths as if she had been deprived of oxygen her entire life. The other adepts were doing the same, tension built up from the trek dissipating along with the heat.

Isaac refilled his canteen from the pool and did the same for everyone else in turn, handing it back to each adept and telling them to drink up and stay hydrated. Mia gave the blonde boy a nod of thanks as she accepted the water back from Isaac. Her parched lips and tongue were grateful for the offering as she gulped down the water, noting that while it was warm, it was not too hot like everything else in the desert seemed to be.

Looking over at the blonde boy next to her, Mia held out her hand. "Your canteen please," she stated simply, waiting for Isaac's response. Confused, but trusting, the Venus adept slowly held out his canteen for Mia to take, curious what she wanted with it.

Mia gave him a smile and grabbed it, holding it in both hands and calling upon her psynergy. Mia could feel the water inside the canteen as she closed her eyes, delicately manipulating her power to modify it and bend the liquid to her will. Though nothing had visibly changed, Mia handed the canteen back to Isaac with another smile and told him to drink up, eager to see his reaction.

Shooting Mia another wary look, Isaac raised the canteen to his lips and gave it a sip before nearly dropping the drink in surprise. "It's cold!" Isaac exclaimed as if Mia had just invented some amazing new thing he had never seen before.

The cerulean haired girl laughed at the blonde boy's astonishment, finding enjoyment in the small opportunities they had for bonding. Mia repeated the process with Garet and Ivan, taking each canteen in turn and cooling the water down as both boys waited eagerly for the taste of something cool amid the arid desert.

"It's so much more refreshing this way," Ivan stated with a smile, and Garet nodded his approval.

"You're the best Mia!" Garet added, holding up his canteen in thanks with a wide grin on his face.

All three boys were clearly enjoying the unexpected treat, and Mia performed the same process on her own water, affording herself the small luxury as well. _Perhaps it was not the best use of my psynergy,_ Mia considered as she sipped on the cool water with the rest of her friends. _Seeing their smiling faces like that was worth it though...plus it helps keep their morale up,_ Mia rationalized, the grin of a familiar Venus adept showing up in her mind. The minor feat used more of her psynergetic energy than she had anticipated, but when looking at her content and more relaxed companions, Mia couldn't help but to be happy with her choice.

The water was cool and refreshing and the adepts enjoyed it to the very last drop. The boys wanted to cool down in the pool of water briefly before moving on through the desert, and Isaac had already dipped his burned hand under the water for some form of relief from the heat as he sat at the water's edge. He was trying to make it look casual, but Mia recognized that he really needed to mute the pain.

Garet and Ivan had already waded into the pool of water and Ivan ducked down under the water before emerging soaking wet. The water line only reached up to Garet's waist, but it was perfect for the adepts to sit down in to let the water come up to their shoulders. Mia's attention was less on the pool however as she started to examine some of the plant life that was eking out an existence on the edge of the oasis among the vast desert, her mind back on the burn Isaac sustained and what she could do to relieve the pain from it.

Mia heard a splash and turned toward the sound to see a sputtering Isaac emerge from the pool of water, thoroughly soaked. "Come join us!" Garet urged Mia as well, extending her a courtesy he did not offer Isaac before pulling the blonde boy into the pool. Ivan's laughter and Isaac's irritated look at Garet made Mia giggle at the scene in front of her, glad to see the group looking refreshed and re-energized even though they were still in the middle of the desert.

The boys smiled at her laughter, however she declined the offer for the moment in order to finish her search through the plants nearby for the root that was on her mind earlier. "I'll join you in a couple minutes," she promised the Mars adept, before kneeling down near some of the plants on the near side of the pool.

Mia searched among the greenery for the telltale signs of the Casius plant she wanted the roots from, brushing her hands over the leaves of other small ferns and shrubs, looking for one with two prongs on each side to identify it. As she shuffled around on her hunt, the boys were busy relaxing in the pool of water, letting the relative cool of the liquid soothe their bodies and ease their minds. Glancing over at them since the background conversation seemed to have ended, Mia saw Garet and Ivan leaning back with their heads on the sandbank and bodies still submerged in water.

Isaac was attempting to do the same thing on the other side of the pool, but he didn't seem as relaxed as the other two and he kept his eyes open, looking up at the bright blue sky above. Mia broke her gaze away from him and back to the plants again as she finally found what she was looking for. The pronged leaves looked back at her, resting gently in her hand as Mia double checked to make sure it was indeed a Casius plant.

Happy that she had found it, Mia carefully extracted the plant from the ground, taking extra precautions not to damage the roots of the plant or get pricked by its thorns. Gingerly holding it in one hand, the Mercury adept took her prize and grabbed her pack before walking over to where Isaac was resting quietly in the pool of water.

The blonde boy turned his head to look at Mia as she approached, noting the random plant in her hand, but not making much of it. "Hey Mia," he greeted her quietly with a quick glance of his eyes toward where Ivan and Garet were resting to ensure he was not disturbing them. Isaac's smile momentarily distracted Mia, but after a slightly awkward pause, she replied in kind. "H-Hi Isaac," she stumbled over the word in embarrassment, hastily recovering from zoning out for a moment.

Isaac just laughed. "Is the heat getting to you too?" He asked the cerulean haired girl as she sat down right on the edge of the water next to him, misattributing the reason for her loss of concentration.

"Yes, it does make it hard to focus out here," Mia replied, using the excuse to bury any other reasons for her lapse in judgment. Opening her pack, Mia pulled out a mortar and pestle along with some herbs she had purchased back in Altin. Though it didn't get a whole lot of use, it occasionally came in handy to have traditional forms of medicine available to the group of adepts, just as it would be for Isaac now.

Isaac's curiosity perked up and he couldn't refrain from asking any longer. "I'm assuming that plant was something you needed to make some sort of medication?" he asked Mia, prompting her to explain what it was.

Mia separated the roots from the leaves of the Casius plant and started grinding the roots in with some of her herbs as she spoke. "Yes, it's something I can use to make a paste to relieve burns," she stated, knowing Isaac would figure out its use almost immediately.

The blonde boy's reaction gave it away as she saw his arm shift beneath the water, indicating his knowledge that she was referring to his hand. Pulling the hand out of the water and raising it above his head with droplets of water dripping down and back into the pool, Isaac inspected his hand with a shake of his head. "You've already healed my hand with your psynergy though," he replied. "You did a great job of it and it feels much better."

Mia just sighed, reaching out to grab his hand with her own, gingerly touching the angry looking burn marks on his hand. Even at the light touch, Isaac's irritated skin cried out in pain and he involuntarily jerked his hand back from hers.

"See what I mean?" Mia asked. "You should really be less stubborn about these things," Mia admonished Isaac.

"You didn't have to do it like that," Isaac complained, but admitted he could have not hidden the pain from the rest of the group.

"That was the best way to make you believe it," Mia retorted, silencing Isaac because the blonde boy knew she was right.

Continuing her work on the herbs, Mia and Isaac both sat in silence for a few moments before Isaac broke it again. "Thanks Mia," he said in a kinder tone, appreciative of her efforts and the fact she had noticed the pain of the burn.

Finishing crushing up the herbs, Mia just shook her head with a glance at the boy. "You're welcome," she replied, holding out her hand as an indication for Isaac to give her his. Dutifully obeying the unspoken command, Isaac extended his arm to Mia and allowed the Mercury adept to hold it gently, this time avoiding the burn marks. "Just keep still while I put this on," she instructed, knowing that any contact with the site of the injury would cause some pain, but also knowing that relief would soon follow. Putting her hand in the paste she had created, Mia scooped a small amount out and gently touched her fingers to Isaac's hand to apply it.

She felt his wrist tense up as he grit his teeth, however true to her instruction, he did not move his hand or jerk it away. Rubbing the paste gently across the burned areas, Mia could feel the conflict of Isaac's muscles as they relaxed from the cooling power of her medicine, but flexed again as she moved to each new patch of burned skin.

Isaac had closed his eyes to let her do her thing and Mia kept focused until she put enough of the paste on. Removing her fingers, Mia lightened her grip on Isaac's hand and let the blonde boy move it again as he opened his eyes to look.

"Wow…" was his first reaction as the soothing ointment took effect and he could feel the pain substantially subside. "That's actually amazing," Isaac added, looking at his hand where it was noticeably less red than before.

Mia could feel the blush rising to her cheeks, not entirely sure if it was due to the actual compliment on her work itself or because of the one who uttered it. She smiled, happy to know she was able to make the boy more comfortable and help his pain subside. "I'm glad it worked well on you," Mia stated, satisfied with her work and trying to keep an even tone of voice.

"It did more than just work," Isaac answered, refusing to let Mia sell herself short. "It feels great now...almost like I could wield my sword again," he said making a fist as if gripping his blade.

"Don't you dare," Mia said strictly, adopting a serious tone and pointing the pestle at him as she washed off the tools before packing them away. "Let it heal a bit more before doing that."

Isaac laughed, waving his hands in front of him in defense. "Don't worry! Don't worry. I won't do anything with it yet, especially if you're telling me not to." Satisfied with the answer, Mia let it go and sighed, finally allowing herself to relax. Isaac eyed his friend as she leaned back in the sunlight and closed her eyes. "Come cool off Mia," Isaac said after a moment, indicating the clear water of the oasis when she looked back over at him.

 _I'm wearing robes though so it would be kind of awkward,_ Mia thought as she dipped a foot into the water to test the temperature out of curiosity. Her foot felt more relaxed as she sat there, the tantalizing shimmer of the water's surface beckoning her into the pool. Giving into the temptation, Mia gave up and bunched up her robes with her hand, slipping into the water's sweet relief next to Isaac.

"Ah...this does feel nice," Mia commented for Isaac's benefit as she sat there cooling off and letting the stress of the desert crossing flow out of her. She was wearing a lighter version of her typical robes due to the heat and the cloth tried to float around freely in the water, but Mia kept one of her hands on it to keep the garment under control.

Submerged up to her shoulders, Mia glanced toward Isaac to see the boy looking at his hand again, glad to have the pain lessened and near full use of it back again. A surge of pride welled up in Mia as she looked on. Though the feeling was atypical of her, Mia couldn't help admiring her own handiwork and the sense of amazement she had inspired in the Venus adept. "You're still inspecting your hand," she pointed out with a smile.

Isaac shrugged, self consciously dropping the hand and letting it into the pool of water, out of direct sight. "It feels so much better now than after you healed it with psynergy. I guess I'm just surprised how much better it is even though you already healed it," Isaac explained his thoughts on the matter.

Mia smiled. "Well, psynergy does have its limitations," she commented. "Psynergetic healing is akin to a miracle. I can cast spells that close wounds, heal gashes, curse poisons, and repair any injuries we come across…" she trailed off and paused for a minute, looking down at her free hand as she gathered a minute amount of psynergy in it as if to test her powers.

"To non-adepts these powers are miracles. They regard it...and us...with awe or sometimes even fear because of them. These people have lived and continue to live without the power of psynergy in their lives so they create their own miracles, not out of psynergy...but out of tradition and knowledge. They understand our powers are great...but knowledge goes a long way too." Mia checked to make sure she still had Isaac's attention since she realized the build up to her point was a little long winded.

To his credit, Isaac seemed genuinely interested in what she was saying and had raised his hand again to look at the previously burned area of his skin. "I think I get it," the blonde boy said. "You're saying that despite how amazing our powers are, they aren't the only thing out there that is…'miraculous' as you put it."

Mia smiled and nodded, glad to know she had not bored the poor boy to death. "Exactly. Psynergy is way more effective than traditional medicine for almost everything...but traditional medicine can still be useful, such as in the case of a burn like this," Mia explained to Isaac. "My powers can heal the tissue, but the lasting pain is not easily relieved via the use of psynergy. Fortunately for you, I happened to know of an alternative that I learned about in my studies back home."

Isaac plunged his hand back into the water, losing interest in inspecting his skin. "I can't deny that the paste you made was extremely effective at lessening the pain," he admitted. "I was surprised...I guess I never really considered the possibility of traditional medicine doing something psynergy could not."

Mia let that statement stand for a few moments and let herself enjoy the respite at the oasis, knowing they would have to get moving again soon. "It's because of your upbringing I think," Mia decided to say, continuing her conversation with Isaac. "I believe you mentioned that your home of Vale is a town of adepts where everyone can use psynergy right?"

Isaac nodded. "Each person has a varying proficiency level when it comes to psynergy, but yes...everyone in Vale is technically an adapt and has some ability to control their powers."

"That explains it then…" Mia said trailing off before continuing the thought. "You grew up with psynergy...everyone around you could use it and so they probably did most of the time."

Isaac's mind came up with a scene of himself using psynergy to fix a roof, even though it could have been done by hand. A smile crept onto his face as he remembered Garet losing his balance and poking a hole in the roof by stepping in the wrong place. Holding back his laughter at the memory, Isaac admitted that the town as a whole did use psynergy in lots of places where it wasn't strictly needed.

Mia looked thoughtful. _If that's the case for mundane tasks it would stand to reason that their healers would specialize in using psynergy for healing as well._ "I would bet that since your town used psynergy for all aspects of their lives, they got used to it and your healers didn't even consider alternatives to it."

Isaac frowned, but looked thoughtful, not having considered the possibility of a larger scope of knowledge they had never been exposed to. Mia's words made sense to him though and the more he considered it, the more he figured she might be right.

"It's so very different back in Imil with the Mercury Clan…" Mia said, seemingly distracted by her thoughts as she trailed off. Isaac regarded his friend with curiosity since she had never really spoken much about where she came from, only that it was the duty of her and her clan to protect the lighthouse.

"What do you mean?" Isaac inquired, trying to piece together the connection between psynergy usage among the people of Vale and the town of Imil.

Mia paused to collect her memories and ensure that she didn't misspeak when explaining to Isaac. "You see...Imil and the Mercury Clan are both very different from the way you've described Vale. We've had adepts and practitioners of psynergy over the years, but for us that is the exception rather than the rule." Mia used her hand to absentmindedly brush the surface of the water, creating miniature waves and ripples as she spoke.

"The majority of the Mercury Clan isn't attuned to psynergy at all actually," Mia admitted as Isaac listened with rapt attention. "Don't get me wrong...they were all wise and knowledgeable people, as well as skilled healers beyond anything I even understand. I learned traditional medicine from them as part of my education and you would be amazed by the solutions they came up to for every kind of injury or illness."

Mia glanced down to where she knew Isaac's healed hand was hiding beneath the water before looking up at his face again. "Psynergy eclipsed a lot of the training I received from them, but I learned it anyway and it's stuck with me because of moments like these where it comes in handy when psynergy cannot."

Isaac mulled over her words, trying to right the perception of the Mercury Clan in his mind from adepts like Mia and Alex to normal villagers spending years learning the healing arts from herbalism. "They are just normal people then?" Isaac asked to confirm Mia's words. The cerulean haired girl nodded in reply and Isaac looked thoughtful. "There's a lot more to learn about this world than I thought," he finally said.

Mia smiled. "If there's one thing I took away from my training, it was that there's always more to learn."

Isaac agreed, thinking about everything they'd come across since starting their journey. "I had a more narrow view of things back in Vale, but traveling has opened my eyes to other ideas and taught me a lot as well." He looked down for a moment with a smile on his face before admitting he had a lot more to learn. "You know...it's taken me this long already to determine the need to learn to fight without the sword. When I burned my hand earlier today I felt lost in battle and was much less effective using only psynergy to fight. You never really realize how much you rely on something until it's gone," Isaac said.

Mia leaned back against the sand, resting her head as she looked up to the sky and contemplated Isaac's words. _That's true...We take some things for granted and even though I've practiced traditional medicine, I've never really relied on it as much as my psynergy. I wonder how useful I'd be if I wasn't able to even use psynergy…_

"I think...I might have fallen into that same trap," Mia admitted to Isaac, turning her head sideways on the sand to look over at the blonde boy. "I make assumptions and I take things for granted as well. We might not always have everything we're used to in every situation and I suppose we need to be prepared for that."

"I feel like it's an eventuality, just like with my hand today," Isaac explained, also laying back in the sand to match Mia's relaxing pose. "It's not a question of if occurrences like that will happen, but when they will happen...and we need to be as prepared as possible to deal with them."

 _I can agree with that,_ Mia thought. _Perhaps I should put more effort into maintaining my skills in herbalism while on this journey in case they become needed again…_ the Mercury adept mused. "I think you're right," Mia finally replied, not wanting to let the silence between the pair linger too long. "Looking at things in that light changes my perspective as well."

Isaac smiled, happy to know that Mia understood where he was coming from. "I think I'm going to spend more time honing my skills with psynergy rather than just my swordsmanship from now on," he resolved, making a fist with his hand above his head as water drops dripped off and back into the pool. He sat up and turned to Mia who was still lying with her head on the sand. "Thanks for the new perspective on things," he said in gratitude for the serious conversation.

Mia smiled back at Isaac. "No problem," she answered casually. "...Though you weren't the only one that's re-evaluating things either," Mia admitted. "I have a lot to learn as well." Her mind flashed back to the fight in the mines where she had almost lost her life due to her ineffective fighting style in melee combat. _I should probably learn how to fight with more than just my psynergy. I've honed my spells and healing powers over our journey, but I still rely on Isaac and the others when monsters appear and we need to fight._ It wasn't that Mia didn't feel capable of fighting monsters, but she knew she could not stand toe to toe on the front line with Isaac or Garet. _Even Ivan has his sword, though he prefers using psynergy as well. I need to have a backup plan like that in addition to psynergy,_ Mia thought, glancing over to where her staff was propped up against her belongings.

Isaac was consumed by his own thoughts as he sat there, but broke out of them when he stood up and stepped out of the pool of water. Mia looked on as the dripping wet adept scrambled back up onto the sand by the plants she was inspecting earlier. His soaked clothes began to dry out quickly in the heat as the water drops slowly fell from his body before dissipating entirely.

"We should get going again soon," Isaac stated in explanation to Mia before nodding over at the two adepts on the far side of the pool. "I'm going to wake these two up so we can get out of this desert by sunset," he added, looking over at Garet and Ivan.

Mia nodded but didn't really hear what Isaac was saying since she was distracted by looking at him. His wet clothes stuck to his skin due to the water tension and Mia could tell how in shape the blonde boy was, with muscles born of their travels showing through. She couldn't help but to admire the sight.

Mia caught herself staring and blushed, breaking her vision of Isaac, glad he had not noticed her stare. _Why do I feel so flustered looking at him like that now?_ Mia asked herself, confused by her own reaction. _It's Isaac...I sleep in the same tent with him and I've seen him like this before…_ Mia thought back to when Isaac accidentally fell off a log into a pond earlier in their travels, much to the groups amusement. _So why now…?_ Mia asked herself again, trying to diagnose the pang of embarrassment she felt.

Isaac noticed the awkward lack of reply from Mia and looked back at her curiously, wondering what was on her mind. Feeling his gaze, the Mercury adept found her words again, preempting the question he would ask and said, "Oh...yes, we should wake them up to get going again," as she remembered what Isaac was talking about previously.

As if to emphasize her words, Mia stood up and stepped onto the shoreline of the pool to get ready to leave again, water rolling off of her as well. Though she was determined not to look back at Isaac, she could feel his gaze on her and became self conscious of how her thinner robe hugged her body, showing off her curves and form a lot more than what she normally wore. Thoroughly embarrassed, Mia clutched her robe, scrunching it up and only further tightening the accents visible to the Venus adept behind her.

Blushing scarlet once again, she risked a glance back at Isaac and caught his gaze just like how she was looking at him earlier. Glancing away as soon as she noticed him, Mia heard Isaac speak up behind her. "Um...I'll get Garet and Ivan…" he said hastily, shifting away from the cerulean haired girl and walking toward the sleeping adepts who had missed the entire exchange.

Mia sat down, her face still red as she watched Isaac walk over to where Ivan and Garet were on the far side. Putting her hands on the sides of her face, Mia felt the heat in her cheeks as her robes began to dry out in the desert air. _I'm so embarrassed…_ Was all she could think about as she stared out across the water. _I don't understand why it feels different than before_... _and I'm upset that I didn't realize how...form fitting...these robes would be when wet._ Mia covered her eyes as if it was all just an awkward dream before sliding her hands slowly off her face and looking down at her clothes, willing them to dry out faster in the hot air.

Despite her embarrassment, the Mercury adept kept a close eye on Isaac as he shook the two other boys to wake them from their oasis nap. _I'm admiring Isaac's looks now?_ Mia asked herself. _I've never acted like this around him before, so why now?_ She stood up as she saw the other adepts get out of the pool of water and she inspected her robes. They were still cool against her skin which felt great in the heat around Mia, but the robes were no longer soaked through and the water had mostly evaporated out of them, returning the robes to their normal state. Now that her robe was not hugging her skin so tightly, Mia felt less flustered, though her confusion about her feelings remained.

 _Now is really not the time to be dwelling on what all this means,_ Mia decided, looking around at the desolate desert beyond the oasis. Trying to push aside her feelings for the time being, she watched the boys walk back toward her where all their belongings lay. Mia noted that despite Garet and Ivan being in a similar state to Isaac shortly after getting out of the pool, they did not evoke quite the same reaction that she had with the Venus adept.

Yawning and grumbling greeted her as the two adepts that had been asleep just a minute before trudged through the loose sand to grab their packs and weapons. Mia smiled as she watched the familiar reaction to being woken up before they were ready, be it an early morning or an afternoon nap. Isaac just shrugged at Mia as he approached, indicating the two newcomers with his hand as if to say it was hopeless to expect anything else.

Mia had to hold back a laugh, as neither Garet nor Ivan had seen Isaac's silent act, but she gave Isaac a smile for the attempt at humor. "We should get going again then," Isaac finally said as Mia picked up her staff from where it lay in the sand. Brushing sand particles off the fine wood with her hands, Mia cleaned it off to an acceptable degree for the rest of their desert trek. None of the group were happy about continuing their journey, however living out the rest of their lives at the oasis was not exactly an appealing alternative. Mia began walking away from their momentary respite with the rest of the boys in tow. She could feel as the oppressive heat began to return bit by bit, making each step away from the oasis a mental struggle.

 _I want to go back!_ Mia's mind screamed out, as the cerulean haired girl did her best to drown it out. Steeling herself against her own thoughts, she pressed on and knew the others had to be doing the same.

Isaac, Ivan, and Garet trudged through the sands with Mia, slowly making their way past rocky outcroppings and large stones, strewn across the desert in a seemingly random pattern. Ivan reached out his hand to touch a stone as they walked past, feeling the rough exterior like sandpaper on his hand.

"Even the wind is dead here," the blonde boy commented to the rest of the group, braving the heat in order to talk to the others. Mia's eyes went to the rock Ivan had touched and she noticed the rough and jagged edges as it lay there, not a hint of wear from the wind that should be smoothing it out. The silence of the place was deadening and only the footfalls of disturbed sand could be heard as the adepts moved through the empty plane. Mia knew what Ivan had meant. _Even the wind ceases to blow here. This is a place of nothingness...deserted...devoid of everything._

Those kinds of thoughts depressed her. _According to locals it was never like this before. All it took was one change… a handful of stones from a mountain far away being disturbed in order to create a place like this._ Glancing around at the still scene they were walking through, Mia felt like she was a visitor in a picture frame, passing by a snapshot frozen in time and space. _The rocks here are destined to remain forever, unchanging, untouched by wind or the elements._ The Lamakan desert was unsettling for the Mercury adept who had spent her whole life near the sea with the movement of the waves. Nothing here moved, and it felt wrong.

A gentle hand on her shoulder distracted Mia as she turned to see Isaac looking at her, his eyes trying to determine what was on her mind. She gave him a smile of appreciation for being there, surprised by his uncanny ability to read her mood. Sometimes Mia even wondered if Isaac was supposed to be a Jupiter adet at some point, but ended up attuned to the wrong element.

They didn't speak due to the intenseness of the heat, which was at it's peak, but that simple touch meant more to her than words could ever say. To Mia it was reassurance and friendship, the knowledge that she was not alone, not in the middle of the wasteland and not in her thoughts.

 _Isaac notices it too...we all do probably,_ Mia knew. _I think it affects us all in different ways. We've seen too many things different than the way they should be and there's nothing that we can do to control it. Nothing except the lighthouses anyway…_

Conviction. That was the feeling Mia got from Isaac's touch more than any other. She knew that the only way to set things right were to right the wrongs that had been committed in removing the Elemental Stars from their sacred resting places. Though her thoughts sometimes swayed with the lighting of the Mercury Lighthouse and the benefits granted to her people via the Water of Hermes, Mia knew deep down that everything began with the Elemental Stars in the first place.

Each new trial, each new place she ran into that was affected by the events proceeding after the Stars were stolen, further proved the wisdom of their ancestors, never to disturb the balance of the elements. Thinking back to her thoughts on the matter from earlier in the day, Mia saw that it was an issue of her town against the world. _The Mercury Lighthouse being lit did provide an undeniable benefit to Imil, and I'm thankful for that...but if you look around in other places and see issues such as the Mogall Forest and this desert...The change is alarming. Maybe Imil is safe from these changes for now, but it seems like more and more places are being affected by these events...and not in a good way._

Mia frowned. _It's just so short sighted…_ That's what really frustrated her about the whole thing. She couldn't understand why Saturos and Menardi thought it was a good idea to light the lighthouses despite the consequences to the world as a whole. _Perhaps their hometown would get some unknown benefit from all of this, but it's going to end up destroying the entire world even if it helps them in the short term, and it won't matter anymore after that._

Just thinking about the possibilities and trying to speculate about the motives for someone to be the catalyst for everything that had happened so far was too much for the Mercury adept in her present situation. Though her thoughts on their journey provided a distraction from the heat, it did not eliminate the effects of it that clouded the mind and scrambled her thoughts.

Isaac was walking at her side now and Mia wondered what was on the blonde boy's mind. _It's possible that he is thinking about the same thing,_ Mia mused, not willing to hold a conversation that would burn up her lungs to find out. The rest of the group was of the same opinion, and silence remained their only companion as they walked among the dead landscape.

 _How much more of this desert is there?_ Mia found herself thinking. _It feels like we've been in here for an eternity._ The relief of the water on her robes had long since evaporated, leaving nothing but raw, dry heat in its place. Though the robes she was wearing were lightweight, they were still not ideal for desert attire and Mia found herself wishing she had brought another set of clothes that would have been better suited for more extreme situations such as this one.

She closed her eyes for a moment while walking forward and allowed her other senses to take over. The absence of noise except for the footfalls of her friends still felt off to Mia as she felt the void this place had become. The only comfort was Ivan firing off reveal spells once again as they continued westward, trying to reach the edge of the desert where they would be out of the heat and able to stop and rest.

The ground and surroundings gradually became more rocky and dry than sandy and Mia chose to take that as a good sign that they were headed in the right direction. Though sand was still plentiful beneath her feet, Mia could see the rocky ground below and could feel her feet have more purchase on the solid floor, making it easier to walk through the desert.

"Please let us almost be there," Garet said, breaking the silence by voicing what was on everyone's mind with the way the desert was changing in appearance. The Mars adept got nods of agreement and acknowledgement from his friends who were just as ready to escape the infernal heat.

As the group came up on the massive cliff walls that rose into mountains surrounding the Lamakan Desert, Mia noticed they had hit a dead end with nowhere left to go. Only a cave entrance on one of the walls offered any place to seek refuge and proceed onward. Ivan cast another reveal spell on the cave area out of habit and his reaction got everyone's attention.

"Oh Shi-" Ivan cursed as he threw out an arm to stop the rest of the group. "You aren't going to like this!" he said, staring at the cave in alarm. "There's something alive in there and it's big!"

As he said that, Mia heard an inhuman cry from the cave that sent shivers down her spine. "I think it knows we're here!" Isaac called out, preemptively drawing his psynergetic power to him so he was ready to act at a moment's notice.

Mia also felt something that she hadn't felt in what seemed like a lifetime; A breeze flowed past her, rustling her hair slightly as it came from the same place as the creature Ivan had discovered. _It's cool air!_ Mia noticed, not even thinking about the monster they were likely about to fight. _Well...cool relative to the desert we've been in at least,_ Mia conceded as a rumbling could be heard coming toward the group from inside the cave.

 _I wonder if the cooler air means that cave leads to the exit of the desert…_ Mia thought, though she didn't have time to ponder the idea as a creature emerged from the cave with its sights set on the four adepts.

The monstrosity looked like a combination of different creatures. Giant batlike wings overshadowed a heavy feline body, tipped off at the end with the tail of a scorpion tapered into a lethal point. Razor sharp claws on its feet found purchase among the rocky ground, digging up dirt as it slowly lumbered out of its cave dwelling. The most unsettling part was an eerily human like head surrounding by a pure white mane of a lion. _It almost looks human...but there's some sort of...beastial aspect of it,_ Mia thought.

She was under no illusion that this mythical creature was at all human however, knowing that it possessed an animalistic nature and instincts. Mia thought back to all the myths and lore of the Mercury Clan to see if she could identify just what the creature was and could only match the characteristics up to one creature.

"A Manticore," she breathed, out of respect and fear for what was currently blocking their path. It was a creature out of legend that had not been seen in Weyard since the days of old, likely reawakened by events of Sol Sanctum and the psynergy rain. _If what I remember about these creatures is true, this will be a dangerous adversary indeed,_ Mia thought. An alien feeling psynergetic presence grew stronger as the manticore let out a growl and advanced on the adepts, its claws taking on a reddish hue, bathed in the light of Mars energy.

Mia raised her staff and prepared to defend herself as she realized one crucial fact. _This thing can use psynergy_...

* * *

AN: I was originally going to include the entire desert crossing in one chapter, however this turned out a lot longer than expected with Mia's thoughts on their journey and the impact of the Sol Sanctum event, so I decided to split it up into two parts.

I liked how this turned out and that I can turn it into a two-parter. I have a plan on how to handle the Manticore (especially since this is the first major foe the group faces that can actually use psynergy) and aftermath so you'll just have to stay tuned for the next chapter to find out!

Hope you enjoy and feedback is always appreciated!


	5. Roadside Introspection

**Chapter 5: Roadside Introspection**

A Manticore's cry was one of the most eerily inhuman sounds Mia had ever heard despite coming from a face that closely replicated human features. The great beast stood in front of Mia and her other adept friends in the mouth of a cave where it was sheltering itself from the insane heat of the Lamakan Desert.

Now awakened from its slumber by the presence of the adepts in its desert home, the manticore seemed agitated and upset. Mia could feel psynergetic power emanating from the the beast as she prepared for combat with Isaac, Garet, and Ivan. Gripping the smooth wood on her staff with her hands, the surface slick with sweat, she prepared to cast an offensive ice spell at a moments notice if the manticore made a move.

The faintest wisps of a cool breeze moved past Mia as she stood in the sweltering heat of the desert, providing only a hint at the sweet relief that awaited the group in the cave beyond. With how unbearable the desert was, even that meager promise was taunting enough to intrigue the adepts and fill their heads with thoughts of escaping the desert.

Isaac and Garet fanned out slowly to flank the manticore, avoiding the use of their weapons due to the metal absorbing so much heat that even the handgrips could not protect the wielder. The manticore made the first move, claws glowing a deep reddish hue as fiery explosions blossomed in the air around the adepts, knocking them back with the force of the blast.

Though she had avoided most of it, the surprise on Mia's face was evident. They had fought Saturos and Menardi atop the Mercury Lighthouse and had to contend with psynergy attacks and spells from the pair, but fighting humans with psynergy was much more predictable than a wild beast. _Raw, primal, unrefined…_ Those were the words that came to Mia's mind as she observed the way the manticore used its powers. _There's barely any warning before it uses psynergy...and that makes this creature dangerous._

Glancing around at her friends, Mia noted that none of them had any serious injuries from the surprise attack and decided to go on the offensive. Calling back the spell she had prepared before the blast attack threw her off balance, Mia shot shards of ice toward the manticore in retaliation. Gaining the beast's attention, she backed off as it finally left the mouth of the cave and began to move in her direction, its scorpion like tail flicking back and forth like a cat.

Mia knew the dynamic of this fight would be different than usual since the use of weapons would only burn their owners. _Normally I would never intentionally grab the monster's attention like this…_ Mia mused as a surge of adrenaline ran through her while watching the manticore approach. _Without weapons to defend themselves, Isaac and Garet are much more vulnerable on the front line and cannot continually occupy the attention of our enemy like normal._

All the adepts recognized the issue at hand and were attempting to cope by adjusting their fighting style. Ivan left his sword on his hip as he unleashed a torrent of devastating lightning that arced across the manticore's body as it roared with pain. Leaping towards Ivan in a flash, the beast took a swipe with its wicked looking claws, but the blonde boy deftly dodged out of the way to avoid the blow.

As the monster was occupied with the two mages, Isaac moved around behind its back and took the opportunity to glance into the cave system the manticore came from. Quickly formulating a new battle plan, knowing it would be difficult to defeat a mythical beast with just psynergy, Isaac called out to the other adepts. "Get into the cave! We can fight more effectively inside!"

Taking the initiative to allow Ivan and Mia to get past the manticore, Garet ran forward with a crazed war cry, firing a powerful blast of flame into the monster's back at point blank range. A swipe of the tail swiftly brought an end to Garet's attack, as he dropped to the scorching sand to avoid the tail's trajectory by mere centimeters.

Getting right back up again before the manticore could turn to face him, the Mars adept avoided prolonged exposure to the burning sand and escaped without injury. Mia and Ivan took the opportunity, running towards the cave where Isaac was channeling a quake spell he could use to manipulate the sand beneath the manticore's feat and slow it down to allow Garet to disengage.

As Mia stepped past Isaac and into the cave, she was hit by what seemed like a wall of cool air as the slight breeze from earlier picked up and provided relief from the infernal heat of the Lamakan Desert. _This has to be the way to the exit,_ she knew, letting herself get distracted from the ongoing fight for just a second as she realized that such a breeze of mild air could not be from the desert itself.

The light inside was dim, but Mia could see the entrance to the cave open up into a large cavern with plenty of space to spread out and combat the manticore inside, away from the glare of the harsh sun. Ivan looked relieved for a moment as well, wiping away the sweat on his brow with his hand. Isaac released a burst of Venus energy behind them as Mia and Ivan ventured further into the cavern and turned back toward the fight to see what was happening.

Garet ran through the entrance, not pausing at all like Ivan or Mia and straight into the large cavernous area. With another inhuman roar, the manticore followed, bouncing after him, revenge for the fiery blasts in its eyes. Not noticing Isaac in its rage at Garet, the beast ran past the blonde boy, razor sharp claws glinting with a thirst for blood.

Isaac was ready for that moment though, and used his psynergy to send massive spires of stone careening into the manticore, sharp pointed rocks digging deep in its flesh. An ear splitting cry of pain shook the cavern as the manticore stopped, bleeding from gashes on its torso due to Isaac's attack.

Something clicked within the creature and it eyed the group warily, knowing it wasn't dealing with normal humans unfortunate enough to wander where they did not belong. Treating the group of adepts with more respect, the manticore paced slowly, sizing up the group once again.

Mia saw Isaac hover his hand over his sword during the brief respite in battle, but drew it away again after feeling the heat still emanating from the hilt, the burn from earlier still fresh in his mind. There was a glint in the eye of the manticore and Mia had a feeling that the encounter was about to get a lot more serious. _I think it finally regarded us as intelligent beings…_

The adepts spread out around the cavern a bit to give the manticore more to pay attention to as it slowly turned to keep its eye on each person. The hard stone floor had traces of sand across it, especially near the entrance, but was much easier to find footing on and was a smart place for the adepts to stand and fight.

Suddenly the manticore moved. Whipping its tail around in the blink of an eye, the beast shot two green hued bolts directly at Isaac. Dodging the first blast and tucking into a roll to avoid the second, Isaac emerged unscathed as the bolts hit the walls behind him, chipping of small pieces of stone that dropped to the floor with a clatter.

The attack signaled the restart of the battle as Garet quickly fired off two fireball attacks in quick succession. Ivan channeled his psynergy and wind began whipping around him at a fast pace, his clothes and hair fluttering rapidly in the maelstrom. Sensing the psynergy behind him, the manticore turned around, using its powerful tail to keep Isaac and Garet at bay as it looked toward the Jupiter adept.

"Oh no you don't!" Mia called out now that they had freedom to speak in an environment that didn't burn their lungs. Unleashing a torrent of water, Mia drenched the beast with a deluge strong enough to stagger it and prevent it from reaching Ivan.

Done channeling his spell, Ivan unleashed the fury of his winds, sending razor blasts of wind flying at the beast, opening gashes on its wings, face, and torso as the Jupiter power impacted against the creature. Unsettling howls of pain accompanied each blast, echoing in the large cavern and amplified by the acoustics of the walls.

Feeling a primal surge of psynergy born of rage, Mia saw the eyes of the manticore glow bright purple and suddenly her mind was assaulted with a searing pain. Instinctively closing her eyes to block out her senses, she staggered back to the wall and used a hand to support herself as she grasped her face with the other. _What...is...this….magic…._ Mia struggled to think through the effects of the spell. The pain subsided, but her mind still felt wrong, and when she opened her eyes, she wasn't sure what to make of what she was seeing.

Mia's mind was spinning and trying to look around showed the whole room blurring in and out of focus. Trying to take a step forward resulted in her falling to her knee as she tried to understand her surroundings. There were two Isaac's making their way toward her and Mia looked back and forth between them, trying to overcome her delusion and shift back into reality. She reached out her hand to one of Isaac's outstretched hands, but felt nothing there until the real Isaac grabbed her hand.

"Snap out of it Mia!" Isaac's voice echoed in her head as he helped her stand up again. The manticore was not sitting idly by toying with them any longer and followed up its attack with another blast of Mars psynergy that exploded nearby, sending the two adepts flying apart. Ears ringing from the burst close by, Mia picked herself up from the floor again, determined not to lose the fight to a psynergetic trick.

 _I need to help the others,_ Mia told herself, scanning around the room, her vision still blurry, but no longer seeing double. She saw Isaac laying on the ground against the wall he was thrown into as well as Garet and Ivan across the room where they were slowly getting to their feet.

"I was not expecting that…" Garet said with a groan as he found his footing again.

Prioritizing the blonde boy still on the ground, Mia called upon her psynergy as she made her way over to Isaac and pressed her hands to him. Releasing her pent up healing spell, she watched as cerulean psynergy materialized from her hands and flowed like water into Isaac's body.

Isaac grimaced in pain, but reached up to grab her arm, silently letting her know it had been enough and he would be okay. Ignoring him for a few more seconds, Mia pumped additional psynergy into Isaac to ensure she fully healed his injuries. _Always so stubborn about things…_ Mia mused as she pulled away of her own volition, annoyed by Isaac's tendency to only accept the minimum amount of healing needed.

Knowing she still had to help Garet and Ivan, she looked away and over to the ongoing battle as Isaac stood up to fight again. Though he didn't look in great shape, Ivan had managed to conjure a wall of wind that Garet was contributing a stream of constant flame to in order to hold back the manticore. The result was a barrier of swirling fire, buying time for Isaac and Mia to recover.

As Isaac returned to the fight, Garet and Ivan dropped the spells, having expended a large amount of psynergy to maintain them after the delusion. Mia's head felt clearer than before and she started casting one of her newest spells, channeling her healing psynergy into her staff. The wooden staff began to glow brightly as the power of the spell coalesced near the head, before she banged the bottom of the staff against the ground with a wooden thunk, and the psynergy exploded outward towards Ivan and Garet, healing both boys with its power.

Feeling reinvigorated, the boys blocked two quick slashes from the manticore's claws using their psynergy and counterattacked with their own spells to throw the beast off balance. Mia finally checked herself for her own injuries, glad to see the rest of the adepts back in fighting shape. Her psynergy reserves were running low and she could feel her power weaker than it had been before, but used a small part of it to close a few cuts and gashes she had sustained from the blast psynergy.

A sharp rasp of steel stood out among the sounds of their psynergy battle and caught Mia's attention as she turned to see a smiling Isaac holding his sword in one hand. _He's going to burn himself again!_ Mia's mind screamed out, remembering the desert from earlier and how she had to heal his hand with the herbs she found.

As Mia's mind caught up to her instinctive response and processed the situation, she looked dumbfounded. _He can hold the sword without burning himself because it's cooled down since entering this cavern!_ Mia realized. Her mind flashed back to Isaac's hand hovering over his sword shortly after stepping into the cavern. _The reason he wanted to fight in the cavern...did he have this planned all along?_

Mia couldn't help but to marvel at the tactical genius Isaac displayed sometimes in the heat of the moment. Isaac's smile gave his plan away, and the other two boys quickly got over their surprise and drew their weapons as well, happy to be back at full strength and not be relying solely on psynergy.

It was obvious to Mia that they had been struggling to keep up in the fight before, but the tables had turned now that the boys could use their weapons again. Her vision was continually improving, and the glint of Garet's blade reflected light from the entrance of the cavern as he blocked two claw swipes with loud clangs of metal.

Mia made her way over to where Garet was fighting and the redhead backed off, letting Ivan and Isaac take over for a moment as he knew what she wanted to do. Mia tapped into her psynergy again and felt the energy well up within her. Releasing another healing spell, she cured the rest of the gashes and injuries he had sustained that Mia's first spell was not able to fix.

Good as new, Garet swung his arm in a circle to test it and thanked Mia for her ever present healing prowess. Moving back into the thick of the fight, Garet allowed Ivan to take a step back and retreat so that Mia could repeat the healing process on the remaining adept.

Isaac and Garet were now able to stand toe to toe with their foe, no longer relying on quick reflexes to dodge every attack when they could block or deflect the strikes of the beast using their weapons. Back in their element, Isaac and Garet relentlessly attacked, keeping up the pressure on the beast. Though they were not natural swordsmen, each boy could read the other's movements and react accordingly to follow up on each other's attacks.

Mia observed the dance of steel as she healed up Ivan, watching as the other two boys took the upper hand and started pushing the manticore back. As Ivan's wounds closed, Mia stepped away to focus back on the fight and give the Jupiter adept room to make use of his powers as well.

Alternating between spells and the blade, the adepts did not let up the pressure on the manticore. Though it continued to conjure primal bursts of psynergy in addition to swipes from its claws and tail to counterattack against the adepts, the manticore's attacks were getting noticeably weaker.

Another roar echoed in the cavern as Isaac's blade found flesh again with a spray of blood. The manticore reared up on it's hind legs, spreading its wings and putting more power behind a retaliatory strike from its talons. Isaac dodged out of the way, not wanting to take the full brunt of the attack head on. A loud cracking noise resounded in the room as the enraged manticore slammed its feet into the ground where Isaac stood a moment before.

Mia wasted no time in taking advantage of the opportunity and reaction, hurling razor sharp shards of ice towards the unfurled wings, piercing the membrane and punching holes straight through. The beast made its pain known again as it retreated, pulling its wings back into its torso.

Another flare of primal psynergy hit Mia like a wave and she stumbled backward along with her friends as she suddenly felt weaker than before. The impairing psynergy was enough to dissuade Isaac and Garet from closing in on the injured creature, the weakness preventing them from being agile enough to dodge any surprise attacks.

Noticing this, and not wanting to give the manticore any time to recover, Ivan shot off a ray spell to zap the monster and attempt to stun it to buy time as the effects of the impairing psynergy waned. _We should end this sooner rather than later,_ Mia knew, conjuring the last of her power in her hand. _I have so little psynergy left between healing and needing to use more offensive spells than usual in this desert…_

Though her psynergy reserves were low, Mia came up with a creative use for it. Casting another spell to drench the manticore with water, she used up the last of her psynergy. The spell did not have the same force as her previous spells, but succeeded in her goal of coating the beast in water.

"Ivan, finish it!" She called out to the Jupiter adept, hoping that the water dripping from the manticore's mane would help conduct electricity and allow Ivan to end the battle. Grinning at the idea, Ivan called violet light to his hands before unleashing a torrent of lightning, continually firing of ray spells that sparked up upon contact with the soaked creature.

Mia observed as the flashing light of the lightning continued to zap the manticore and sparks began to jump across its entire body, taking its toll. Ivan did not let up and the other adepts looked on as Mia's idea worked and a combination of steam and smoke from the vaporized water and scorching electrical burns sent the manticore into death throes.

Convulsing wildly from the electrical current, the creature could no longer express its agony until it finally shuddered and lay still on the rocky ground. Ivan stopped his psynergetic assault and the rest of the adepts waited with baited breath, looking for any sign of life from the now smoking corpse of the manticore as small sparks of lightning continued to arc across the body.

Waiting long enough and seeing no movement, the group all dropped their guard and Mia breathed a sigh of relief. She regarded the crumpled creature with a sad look, knowing that its aggressive temperament was likely a consequence of the events surrounding their quest, just another example of what was becoming a worldwide phenomenon. The more she traveled, the more Mia saw the same thing in different places and the more monsters like the manticore kept appearing across the land.

There was no avoiding battle with the monsters though, and Mia knew it. No matter her thoughts on the matter, conflict was inevitable and she would have to continue to defeat and kill many more monsters on their journey as needed. _This manticore probably would have attacked us anyway, even without the influence of that elemental storm that sparked everything. A lot of these creatures were already aggressive before and just became overly so after the storm...but a number of them are victims of circumstance...being driven to madness or insanity by the power of the elements being disturbed. I can't help but to feel remorse in those cases…_

Looking at the body of the manticore splayed out on the solid stone beneath their feet served as a reminder to Mia of all the normal wildlife and creatures that had also become twisted and evil from the evolution of their world. With a sigh at all the senseless suffering created by Saturos and Menardi as well as Alex's actions, Mia pushed her feelings aside so she could be useful to the rest of her friends as they proceeded to the exit of the desert.

The group of adepts were worn out from the fight but relatively unharmed thanks to Mia's healing psynergy. It had also helped immensely to fight inside the cavern as opposed to outside in the sweltering heat. Isaac and Garet sheathed their swords and Mia glanced around the cavern to get a better idea of what they walked into now that the fight was over. The rocky walls rose high above them before tapering into a ceiling far above. The size of the place was massive, which explained why the manticore decided to use it as a resting place. The cool breeze blew past the group again, still in sharp contrast to the heat of the desert crossing.

Mia turned toward the source of the slight wind and saw that the cavern continued on down past where they were just fighting. The area was all lit up by the sun leaking inside from both exits of the open space they were in. "I think this might be the exit to the desert," Mia said hopefully, indicating the short passage to the other adepts.

Despite being exhausted, Isaac, Garet, and Ivan looked somewhat reinvigorated at the idea of leaving the desert behind and eagerly came to join Mia at the path onward. Leaving the cavern behind, the group made their way through the wide tunnel area, perfectly sized for trade caravans to make their way through. Upon stepping outside, back into fresh air and onto a dirt road, the group noticed the temperature drop immediately as they were no longer in the scorching desert.

"Thank Jupiter," Ivan praised as he felt the cooler air against his skin, no longer burning up from the heat. The sense of relief was mirrored among the rest of the adepts and Garet promptly lay down on the grass nearby, showcasing his exhaustion from the trip.

Mia shivered, unused to the cooler temperature. _It's not even that cold,_ Mia knew. _It's my perception of the temperature that is off after spending most of the day in heat far beyond what any human should be in…_ Looking around at their surroundings, the amount of green surprised the Mercury adept. Though she remembered the world had a lot more plant life than what she was seeing while in the Lamakan Desert, she found it hard to remember much more than a faint image of the beautiful mountains around the Lama Temple from the day before.

 _The heat must still be messing with my head and I haven't quite recovered yet,_ Mia decided, pinpointing the reason for her surprise. In reality it had only been a few hours in the desert, however the all consuming nature of the place had pulled at their minds, making minutes seem like hours and hours seem like days.

"We should call it a day," Isaac suggested to the rest of the group, knowing they would not have a lot of energy left to continue their journey after the taxing effect of the desert. "According to Ivan, it's still about a day until we reach Kalay anyway which is perfect."

The other adepts agreed, not prepared for more traveling, as well as looking forward to the idea of extra downtime. Though they did not expect to see other travelers on the road, especially after their experience in the desert, the group moved off the road a little bit to set up camp.

Used to the silence in the desert, the adepts worked quietly to pitch tents and set up an area for a fire where they would be able to cook their food that night. The patch they chose was a perfect resting spot, the blades of grass providing a soft ground perfect for relaxing on and still short enough to avoid any difficulty setting up tents.

"Whose watch is it first tonight?" Isaac asked, looking at each adept in turn as they finished setting up the tents and moved on to making a small fire pit.

"I think it's mine," Mia stated, trying to remember back to the last time they had camped out on the road before Altin.

"Mia, Isaac, then me I think?" Ivan asked for confirmation from the rest of the group. "I'm pretty sure it's Garet's night off tonight," he added.

"That sounds right," Isaac replied as he walked over to a nearby tree and snapped some branches off of it for kindling with a cracking sound. Mia got up to help and gathered an armful of smaller twigs and branches for use in starting the fire as well, arranging them in the makeshift dirt area Garet had cleared in the grass.

"I'll grab some larger logs," Ivan said before heading a little farther from camp to get some more wood for the fire.

Isaac turned to Mia. "Hey Mia, since we're all way more tired than usual today it might be a little much trying to stay up late into the night with no rest. You should rest a little bit now before dinner so you don't overwork yourself going straight from the desert into first watch."

The explanation and reasoning was logical and a tired Mia wanted nothing more but to accept his proposal, but there was still work to be done. Finishing arranging the kindling, she looked back at Isaac and declined. "Thanks Isaac, but I still need to help make dinner and set up camp."

"Nonsense Mia," Garet chimed in. We can handle it and we know you'd do the same thing if one of us was in your position.

Isaac nodded, his concern for the cerulean haired girl etched on his face. "It's not good to try to push ourselves too hard and get worn out to the point of being unable to travel." Mia looked to him, knowing that he once again had a good point. _I want to be doing my part in everything at least,_ Mia thought to herself, despite knowing the boys were both right.

"Let Garet and I make dinner," Isaac implored Mia. "I will wake you up when it's time to eat okay?"

Mia shook her head in defeat but smiled at the two adepts. "Very well...I know you're just thinking of what's best for us," she admitted.

Ivan walked back to the group with some larger pieces of wood in hand, dropping them by the makeshift nest of twigs that Mia set up to start the fire. "These should last us the night," the younger blonde boy said, indicating the wood.

Garet grabbed the wood and held out his hand to the kindling, sparking it to life with his psynergy. As the flame slowly grew and consumed the pile of twigs, he gently laid the first log nearby to catch fire and begin their campfire for the night. The crackling noises and sparks of flame that flickered up let the Mars adept know the fire was burning strong.

"All right then, see you at dinner," Mia told the others as she retreated into her shared tent with Isaac to take a quick nap and rejuvenate before watch for the night. Grateful for the reprieve, but not wanting to sleep too deeply and have a hard time staying awake for watch, she laid down on top of her bedroll for a quick rest.

Despite all that was on her mind from the crossing of the desert, Mia knew she would have no problems falling asleep due to her exhaustion, and she would have time later to reflect on events while looking over the camp at night. She was completely right and it was only a matter of minutes until Mia's eyes closed and she fell into a light sleep.

…

 _Mia stood still as the wind blew past, causing her to shiver from the cold. The world around her seemed dark and dreary with the exception of a brilliant cerulean light shining upon her matching hair. Looking up into the light and shading her eyes from its glare, Mia made out the outline of a lighthouse, a familiar silhouette on the outskirts of her hometown._

 _The beacon was lit as she could plainly tell and she bathed in its light, opening a fresh wound and reminding her of her failed duty to protect the sacred place. She wished she could go back in time, pay more attention, take more notice of what was happening, and have another chance at stopping it from being lit. She knew it was impossible. Her job now would be to protect the rest of the lighthouses to atone for her inability to protect this one._

 _The group of adepts that had helped her in the Mercury Lighthouse when she wanted to investigate the light had explained that the other lighthouses across the land were also in danger. The means to light them had been stolen from a sacred resting place and they were in pursuit of the perpetrators to prevent exactly what had just happened at the Mercury beacon._

 _It was her duty to go. Mia knew that she could protect the other lighthouses and help atone for her failure to protect Imil. The three boys had accepted her aid on their quest so she would travel with them. They seemed to have a positive outlook on everything despite the events that had transpired, which was something Mia took comfort in. The three boys were standing, talking to each other as Mia packed some things she would need for the journey. The taller blonde boy...Isaac was his name...laughed at something one of the other two said. Mia could feel genuine happiness from his laugh despite the situation they had all just been placed in, and glanced over at him, allowing Isaac's infectious smile to improve her mood._

 _..._

 _The surroundings changed and Mia found herself sitting under the shade of a tree. The cold and sense of failure was gone. Something here was different, a snapshot of what could have been or what could yet be. She was by the ocean, the even rumbling of the waves crashing into shore evoking a feeling of peace and serenity. This world was much more warm, she could tell just by being there...but deep down she knew it was not her world and instead a reflection of what she wished it could be._

 _She heard the same laugh as before, looking over to see a blonde boy sitting next to her, spiky hair messy and unkempt with a yellow scarf fluttering gently in the breeze as he looked at Mia with a smile on his face. His brilliant blue eyes reflected his happiness in the moment and Mia felt the weight of his hand in hers as they sat together, enjoying the sense of serenity found in this place._

' _Mia,' the boy addressed her by name. Looking over at him, Mia felt like she should reply, but for some reason she was unable to speak and instead the silence lingered until the boy repeated himself..._

"Mia?" a voice said softly and Mia could feel a small amount of pressure on her shoulder as her body gently rocked back and forth. "Mia?" The voice asked again as the cerulean haired girl rolled over, hearing her name called out in her mind. _No, no...Five more minutes,_ Mia told the waking voice, subconsciously wanting to continue the dream she was having.

"It's time to wake up," Isaac's voice said gently, trying to rouse the sleeping girl back to reality. Mia yawned as she gave in and opened her eyes to the blurry shape of Isaac sitting over her. Rubbing her eyes with her hands to fix her vision, Mia squinted up at the blonde boy in an attempt to make out his features as she woke up.

 _Ah...it's Isaac…_ Mia thought as she drowsily recognized the boy. _He's here with me...that's nice…_ Shifting again, Mia subconsciously reached out to the hand Isaac was using to rouse her and took it in her own, pulling it close to her and using it as a pillow as she closed her eyes again. _I was having a nice dream too…_ Mia's mind told her as she tried to remember what it was about.

Isaac's face turned red with embarrassment at the not quite awake adept's actions, completely clueless on how to respond for a few seconds. Mia had never done something like this before, and even if she was not awake, it was too strange for Isaac to comprehend. Pulling his hand away from her, Isaac shook the cerulean haired girl more insistently. "Mia, you need to get up. You can't go to sleep on an empty stomach after such a long day," he explained, even though he knew it would fall upon deaf ears.

Mia didn't understand the words, but the sound of them combined with the shaking finally did the trick. The Mercury adept groaned as she woke up with another yawn. Pushing herself up to a sitting position, Mia looked over at Isaac questioningly, as if asking why he was there.

"Dinner's ready," Isaac explained again, keeping it short in case she was still half asleep and would have trouble understanding. "You should come eat with us," he added, glancing at the hands that had just held his own, then away from Mia with a tinge of pink still in his cheeks.

Mia looked confused by his seemingly strange reaction, unaware of the events that had just transpired. "Are you okay?" she asked the blonde boy, mistaking his embarrassment for concern.

Isaac shook his head with a smile and turned back to Mia. "I'm fine," he stated simply, amused that she did not have any recollection of the past few minutes. "You were just harder to wake up than I expected," he explained, giving her part of the story.

Mia shrugged. "I guess I was tired. It's been a long day after all...and I need to have energy for my watch tonight."

"I could take your watch for you if you need to rest," Isaac tried to offer helpfully.

Mia quickly turned him down, feeling her energy coming back after the nap. "No need for that," she explained. "I feel much better now and you need your rest too since you have second watch."

It was Isaac's turn to shrug. "I can manage," he replied confidently. "I can't have my friends collapsing from exhaustion if they aren't getting enough sleep after all," he added as a joke.

Mia frowned instead of laughing. "You can be so stubborn sometimes you know?" she asked, surprising Isaac with a more serious answer. Mia sighed, but smiled. _It's just part of his personality...I know it's just how he is._ "I appreciate how you always try to put our wellbeing over your own, but you do need to take care of yourself sometimes too."

Isaac smiled, seeing that she wasn't about to get angry at him and appreciated the concern that the cerulean haired girl gave him in return for his own.

Mia brushed the hair in her face out of the way, tucking it behind her ear as Isaac followed her hand's movement. Seeing that Isaac was taking her observation well, Mia decided to follow up with a bit of a joke. "I'm glad I was able to come on this journey with you all," she declared. "After all, someone needs to ensure you eat and sleep. I'm not 100% sure that you would sometimes if I wasn't around to make you," she added.

Isaac made a dismissive snort but had no rebuttal to her comment, joke or not, and he changed the topic. "Well Mia, we did make some dinner and save you some, so why don't we go eat before it gets cold?"

Accepting that as his surrender, she smiled and agreed to go get some dinner. Following the blonde boy out of the tent, she was greeted with the smell of fresh food in a pot near the fire. Garet was portioning out some soup and rice for each person, handing a warm bowl to Mia as she sat down nearby. "Glad to see you're awake," Garet commented as Mia took a look at the food he had just handed her.

"We thought you might just sleep through the entire night," Ivan added, accepting his bowl from Garet as well. "I totally get why though after that desert trek," the Jupiter adept said, continuing to speak to Mia. "Hell, I feel like passing out for a day or two right now as well," he joked.

Mia shook her head. "Maybe, you're right...If Isaac didn't wake me up I might have just kept on sleeping all night," she admitted with a smile. Taking a sip from the soup, Mia found herself surprised at the taste. _It's good!_ Her mind told her, not sure what to expect from the efforts of the three boys. Though she had tasted thier cooking before, more often than not the group ate more basic and easily prepared food while on the road and better meals were saved for stays in town.

Taking another sip of the broth, Mia found herself enjoying the flavor, impressed by the ability to make something so tasty on the road. She could feel the boys staring at her as she ate and looked up to meet their gaze, freezing her hand holding another spoonful of soup halfway between the bowl and her mouth. "What?" she asked curiously, looking to each adept in turn before Ivan chuckled and Isaac looked back at the pot of food.

Not catching the joke, Mia remained confused for a few more seconds, finishing her bit of food as Garet took pity on her and explained.

"Isaac was curious if you were going to like it," the Mars adept said, indicating his own soup with his spoon. "I thought it was a pretty good job myself," Garet added, eating another spoonful and glancing sideways over at Isaac.

The blonde boy dodged Mia's gaze for a moment as she looked over at him to confirm the truth. _Isaac made this?_ She asked herself.

He saved Mia the trouble of asking by looking back to her and speaking up, ignoring Garet's comment implying Isaac wanted to see Mia's reaction in particular. "I just figured that after such a tough day we should have a nicer meal than normal even though we're still out here," Isaac said, explaining his reasoning.

"Well I definitely appreciate it." Mia gave him a smile of thanks. "It's quite good. I didn't know you could cook like this," she added, complimenting his food. _Making good soup like this with limited supplies on us is actually pretty impressive,_ Mia thought to herself as she stirred the bowl to see what all he had put in it.

"Thanks Mia," Isaac replied with a hint of embarrassment, not expecting any sort of praise for his cooking skills.

Ivan wolf whistled quietly at the exchange, much to the amusement of Garet who could not hold back a laugh. Mia raised her eyebrow over at the pair as if to ask 'Really?' however they were too absorbed in their own joke to notice.

Isaac ignored the obvious bait and spoke as a distraction from their antics. "It was just my mom and I for the last few years back in Vale. I learned to help cook among other things during that time," he gave as way of explanation for the soup.

"Ah yes...that would explain it," Mia remembered back to when she was first learning about her new companions and events leading up to the Mercury Lighthouse. _It makes sense that he would know how to cook if you look at it like that...I'm just surprised I never really noticed before,_ Mia thought.

Not really sure what else to say, both adepts turned back to their food along with Garet and Ivan. They enjoyed the meal in relative silence, occasionally speaking up about a memory from one of the towns they visited or complaining about their trip through the desert earlier in the day.

At the mention of the Manticore they faced, Mia noticed Isaac get quiet and more thoughtful, making a note to herself to ask about the fight again and strategy they used. As the group wrapped up eating, Garet and Ivan helped clean and pack up the bowls and utensils before retiring for the night in their tent.

Glad to have taken the short nap she did, Mia understood the exhaustion of her fellow adepts and was surprised when she saw Isaac pick up his sword and draw the blade instead of heading to bed like the other two boys. Eyeing the sharp steel, Mia watched curiously to see what the blonde boy was planning to do.

"Hey Isaac," she called out to catch his attention before he got too distracted. Turning towards Mia, Isaac re-sheathed his sword and walked over to where she remained sitting by the fire.

"What's up?" the Venus adept asked, sitting down beside her. The flames flickered in front of them, casting orange light onto the pair's faces as the last rays of the sun disappeared over the horizon.

"What were you planning to do with that just now?" Mia asked, nodding toward the recently drawn sword lying next to Isaac. "I figured you would go to bed like the others...especially considering you have a watch tonight too," she added.

Isaac shrugged. "I might be a bit tired, but a lot happened today so my mind has been active and probably won't let me sleep anyway," he replied in explanation. "I figured I would get some practice in before bed."

The sword reminded Mia of Isaac's injury from earlier in the desert and she glanced over at his hand, which seemed to be fine thanks to the fast acting burn relief she made up at the oasis. "Your hand seems much better," Mia commented, prompting Isaac to raise it up and look at it. "You seemed to be able to fight with your sword against the Manticore with no issues."

Isaac just shrugged. "It's a lot better thanks to you. I wasn't 100% sure when we faced the Manticore how it would turn out trying to wield a weapon, but it held up nicely with minimal irritation, especially considering how it was before."

Mia smiled, getting a better glance at it as Isaac let the Mercury adept take a better look. _It's all healed…_ Mia realized, surprised at the unexpected speed of the burn recovery. "Well, I don't know what to say," she said, taking her eyes off his hand. "It seems absolutely fine now."

Isaac smiled. "Yeah...I'm definitely relieved that wielding a sword won't be a problem for me. That whole desert crossing pointed out a glaring flaw in my fighting style and reliance on a weapon in combat." He looked thoughtful again, but Mia could tell he wasn't quite finished so she stayed silent and waited for him to continue. "It was worrisome while actually in the situation, but now that we're outside the desert, I'm kind of glad it happened. If we didn't come across that situation, I might not have recognized the need for me to expand my skills before it was too late," Isaac explained the logic that made him come to that conclusion.

Mia thought back to the oasis where they had briefly spoken about the same thing after the burn on his hand. _Me too...I've been learning and improving my offensive psynergy at a good pace, but my physical combat skills are lacking._ "I think I understand what you mean," she replied, considering her own shortcomings when it came to combat. "I was only ever a healer in Imil, so while I knew how to use offensive psynergy, it wasn't something I was particularly adept at. It wasn't until I left for the journey with all of you that I really began to get better at fighting with my psynergy in addition to healing."

Isaac smiled at the cerulean haired girl. "Your psynergy has come a long way in such a short time. I was never a match for your healing, even from the very start, but all of your combat spells have far surpassed my own as well," he admitted to Mia.

Mia nodded, accepting the praise without argument, but decided to bring up a different point. "I think that I see myself with the opposite issue as you. My psynergy use in combat is continually getting better, but I rely on it even more than you rely on your sword. When we fought the manticore today, I briefly considered what I would do if I was in your situation but could not cast any spells instead of being weaponless."

Isaac thought about the theoretical situation for a few second, absorbing the logic behind Mia's thoughts. "It wouldn't end well I don't think," Mia said with a humorless smile. "I need to learn how to keep up in physical combat as well."

Isaac paused before saying anything further. "I guess that's just really what it comes down to in the end," he stated. "We need to encompass all aspects of our psynergy and combat powers to be the most effective we can be instead of just focusing on a single part."

Mia agreed wholeheartedly with that sentiment and nodded her head to indicate she believed the same. "We've all done a great job up until this point of playing to our strengths and covering up our weaknesses by working together, but you're right that we need to improve our weaknesses and turn them into strengths instead." It was Isaac's turn to nod in agreement. Mia continued her thought. "It's fine to rely on each other I think...and I'll likely always prefer psynergy over physical combat, but I know I need to be able to fight effectively independently. I can't always rely on someone being there to hold monsters off as I cast my spells or on someone to be able to help me if we get into a tough spot."

"I will always try to be there for you," Isaac replied. "I do think knowing how to handle ourselves even in a disadvantageous situation is a good idea however," he added. "That's why I'm going to practice my psynergy and learn when and how to use it better and more effectively so another day like today doesn't happen if I am unable to use a weapon for whatever reason."

The mention of weapons again caused Mia to glance down at the sword by Isaac's side. "Speaking of weapons...you planned fighting in that cavern didn't you?" she asked. Before the blonde boy could answer, she clarified exactly what she was getting at. "It wasn't just to avoid the sand and heat outside...you knew that if you bought enough time for your sword to cool down that you'd be able to use it didn't you?" she asked.

Isaac smiled, giving her the answer she was looking for. "I did," he answered briefly. "I just wanted to make sure we held it off long enough until we could get the advantage with my weapon back."

Mia shook her head in amazement. "I knew it…" _Isaac has a tactical genius that the rest of us just can't match. How he is able to think that far ahead and plan for that one moment while under the stress of battle in those conditions…_ Mia looked up at the stars that had emerged during their conversation. "I originally thought you were thinking about drawing your weapon regardless of if it burned you again, but you were just testing to see how hot it was and if it had cooled down enough to use," she noted her observation from the battle.

Isaac frowned. "If it really came down to it, you're right. I probably would have drawn the weapon and fought with it regardless of the pain if it was our only escape."

Though disturbed by the idea of Isaac burning his hand again, Mia could understand the sentiment behind that decision if he was forced to make it. "That would be...unfortunate," Mia considered, envisioning how the manticore fight could have gone differently and forced the use of his sword much sooner.

"I instinctively picked up my sword," Isaac said, thinking aloud for Mia's benefit. "I was thinking about getting some training in, and just did what was natural again by relying on the sword even though I've been talking about how I really need to practice my psynergy…" He looked disappointed in himself.

Mia understood. "Reliance on your sword is a habit you already have in place. It's hard to break those habits sometimes so don't feel so bad about automatically picking up the blade to practice with it," she said. "You still need to train your strengths so that they remain your strengths," Mia added with a smile, calling upon a healing spell for Isaac to see in order to illustrate her point.

"That's true," Isaac replied. "You keep up with your healing practice quite often thanks to our injuries," he chuckled. "However, I do want to learn more about how to fight using psynergy as well."

Mia smiled. "That's something I think you'll find you have less issues with than you think once you try it more often," she said. "Take it from me, an ordinary healer...I picked up how to fight using psynergy pretty quickly. Sometimes it's less about attacks and more about the effects of your psynergy and the outcome of your actions than anything else."

Isaac called upon his psynergy instead of replying, gathering the power of the earth in one of his hands and reaching out to a nearby rock, levitating it off the ground with his lift spell. As Mia eyed the rock floating in midair, Isaac spoke. "I think fighting with psynergy is all about finding a creative use for it," Isaac explained, thinking back to how Mia soaked the manticore in water to increase the effectiveness of Ivan's lightning spells. "Take this rock for example," he added, indicating the rock floating in the air in front of them. "What is there to stop me from combining the use of my psynergy to throw it at an opponent?"

It was a rhetorical question and Mia waited for Isaac to give his own answer. "It's not the intended use of the lift spell, but I believe it can be effective nonetheless," Isaac explained. "I got the idea from your use of water to amplify Ivan's attack," he added, attributing the credit for the idea to the girl next to him.

Mia considered his outlook on psynergy as Isaac slowly lowered the rock back to the ground, careful not to disturb the adepts sleeping in one of the tents nearby. _You just have to use it creatively…_ Mia mused, thinking over the blonde boy's words after he finished talking. "I see what you mean. I've been doing that as the situation required without really thinking about it," she replied. "You mentioned the manticore, but even back in the mines I froze the floor to make the monsters chasing us slip," Mia added, remembering another time she used a spell that way.

Isaac smiled. "I forgot about that one, but that was good too," he said. "It's like second nature to you, which is amazing."

Mia smiled at the compliment, glad to know Isaac saw her as more than just a healer. "I need to learn how to do that," Isaac continued speaking. "I can sit here with you and come up with another use for my psynergy like this...but doing it in the heat of battle like you...that's totally different. It comes so naturally to you since that's how you normally fight." Isaac looked over at Mia to catch her gaze. "I need to reach that level with my psynergy and then I can say with confidence I could fight as well as you without my weapon," Isaac said with conviction, calling some psynergy into his hand before balling it up and letting it dissipate.

Mia looked over to her staff, eyeing the sleek, polished wood. She had a hard time picturing herself fighting with just the staff to ward off foes. _I should show the same determination as Isaac while developing my martial combat skills…_ "I think that of all people, I have faith you will be able to figure out your psynergy and advance it to the next level," Mia said. "It's not something that can be taught...merely experienced. You can teach someone to use psynergy, but you can't teach them HOW to use it," she emphasised.

Isaac nodded. "I think those were the words I was looking for," he explained. "I know how my psynergy works, but I don't always know how to maximize its effectiveness. That's the most concise way of looking at it that I can think of," Isaac said.

Mia smiled. "You taught me the basics of combat when we first left Imil, knowing I would need it some day. I might able to defend myself for a while or even attack using my staff, but I don't understand any technique or effective ways to fight with it because I'm not at that next level like yourself or Garet," she said. "Though I don't think I will reach the same level as you, I do want to be able to reliably flight in hand to hand combat even if I continue to focus on psynergy."

Mia leaned back and looked up at the stars. "You know...I was actually going to ask you about training," she commented. Isaac gave her a curious glance, prompting her to continue. "If possible...could you help me learn more about melee combat?"

Isaac seemed slightly surprised by the request, but recovered quickly and smiled. "Absolutely," he accepted simply. "I'd be happy to help." Isaac watched as Mia picked up her staff and held it in her hands, assuming she was thinking about how else she could use it for combat. "It's a bit late for that tonight though…" Isaac said, not sure of Mia's intentions.

Mia laughed suddenly due to Isaac's notion she might want to train right then and there before quickly silencing herself with a hand over her mouth. Despite him reading the situation completely wrong, Isaac couldn't help but to smile at the glimpse of merriment in Mia's features. Putting the staff down again so as not to confuse the blonde boy any further about her intentions, Mia replied. "I know...I know…" she said. "I didn't mean tonight. Just whenever you have time."

Isaac shrugged and leaned backward on the palms of his hands. "Just join me for one of my training sessions then," he suggested nonchalantly. "It'll give me a chance to try some new strategies I've been working on anyway," Isaac added with a smile.

"It's a date then," Mia joked, still riding on a high after Isaac's misunderstanding from her picking up the staff. Isaac's face went slightly pink as he fumbled his reply before composing himself.

Deciding to take the path of least resistance, he played along. "Sure, it's a date," Isaac answered with a sidelong glance at the Mercury adept next to him, amused by the playful personality that had decided to make an appearance from her.

 _Isaac is usually so calm and collected,_ Mia thought. _It's funny to see him flustered and out of his comfort zone just a little bit,_ she realized with another grin. "Ahh…." Mia sighed as she too leaned back in a relaxed position against a nearby tree stump and allowed her mind to reset after having teased Isaac enough for the night.

The two adepts sat together in silence, Isaac having abandoned any notion of sleep before his turn for watch. Both absorbed themselves in their own thoughts until Isaac decided to break the silence again. "You know...I noticed something back in the desert," he commented with a serious tone of voice. Not waiting for Mia's reply, Isaac said, "If anyone else noticed...it would probably be you. Remember how we talked about the world changing ever since the elemental stars were taken?"

Mia didn't answer right away and Isaac looked over for confirmation that she was listening. "Yeah…" she answered slowly, thinking back to the insane heat that was unnatural to the area as well as the effects of it. The image of a lizard they fought came to Mia's mind, its scales discolored in some areas and around the edges. _Something bothered me about that back then but I never really had the chance to think about it much,_ Mia mused.

As if reading her mind, Isaac brought up the same memory. "There was that lizard Garet roasted before we found the last oasis..." he started to say. Mia gave a start as the blonde boy echoed her thoughts. "Did you see how the scales were charred black after Garet finished it off?" he asked.

Mia looked over at Isaac with a grim expression. "I think I know where you're going with this...you noticed it was already discolored before we fought it as well didn't you?"

"So I'm not the only one that saw that…" Isaac replied with a hint of relief that she might have been thinking the same thing he had.

Mia sat up fully, no longer lounging in the relaxed position she was in previously. "Yeah, that was bothering me, but I haven't really had a chance to think about it yet. I feel like it's probably another one of these environmental side effects from the elemental stars," she said.

"That's what I was thinking," Isaac stated. "The scales looked like they were already scorched around the edges and in certain places on the top."

Mia thought about that observation and compared it to her own memory. "I remember that…" she said. "I feel like the changes reported in the desert since the elemental stars were stolen that caused the extreme heat is pushing the limits of living things being able to survive there. Those lizards normally burrow underground to escape the heat right?"

Isaac considered what she was implying. "You think that because the desert and sand above the lizard when burrowed has becoming so much hotter than before that it actually damaged its scales?" he asked.

Mia shrugged. "I'm obviously no expert on desert ecology," she said with a humorless smile. "I think that is is a pretty good explanation for what we saw though," she added.

"This rate of environmental change is alarming…" Isaac shot back. "If the consequences of the elemental stars being stolen and the lighthouses being lit includes changing the environment to the point where life can't survive…" he trailed off.

Mia sat there with that sobering thought in mind. _That really sheds light on the importance of our quest. It seems like we continue to come across more evidence at every turn that proves disturbing the elements like this is a bad idea no matter how you think about it. Why would Alex-_

"I wonder if that's what The Wise One meant…" Isaac wondered aloud, cutting off Mia's though on her former Mercury Clan member. At mention of the Wise One, Mia turned to the blonde boy to see what he was thinking about. Based on what Isaac told her, she knew The Wise One was the guardian of the elements who had originally shown up in Vale to task Isaac and Garet with stopping the lighting of the lighthouses and saving the world from destruction.

"The destruction he foretold...does he mean this environmental change will continue to worsen until the elemental stars are returned to where they belong?" Isaac asked trepidatiously. "If things continue like this, how long will it be before it affects our ability to live in this world?"

 _Now that's a sobering thought,_ Mia mused. The image of the Mercury Lighthouse popped into Mia's mind and she shivered as a cold feeling came over her. With a sense of dread, Mia voiced the concern that caused her to freeze up. "What if we can't stop the changes now since one of the lighthouses was already lit?"

The image of the lit beacon continued to taunt Mia's mind as Isaac adapted a hardened expression. "That's something I wondered myself shortly after your lighthouse was lit," he said. "I had no idea back then what the effects might be...but now that we're seeing them, I'm worried that we might not be able to fully stop it anymore like you said."

 _If there truly is nothing we can do now but slow the effects of this disturbance..._ Mia didn't really want to think about the possibility of the world coming to an end. Unfortunately she was left to her thoughts as Isaac let that last statement hang between them. Mia imagined Isaac was envisioning a world slowly drifting towards destruction as well and how inhospitable some of the environmental changes they had seen so far could make it.

The Venus adept was looking up at the stars, a lot on his mind from their conversation. Despite the gravity of what they had discussed, the events of the day were catching up with him and he stifled a yawn with his hand over his mouth.

Mia could tell Isaac was extremely tired and exhausted from the trip as well as from staying awake and talking to her throughout her watch. _There's no way he's going to be able to keep this up throughout his own watch as well,_ she realized. "You look tired," Mia commented, breaking the silence between them once again and getting Isaac's attention.

Isaac shrugged. "I suppose it has been a long day," he replied, sitting up straighter in an effort to keep himself more awake.

Mia shook her head with a smirk on her face. "Here you are trying to push yourself too hard again," she replied. "You really need to get some sleep."

Isaac leaned backwards, resting his head on an overturned log behind him. "I know...I know you're right. I should have gone to sleep already before my watch."

"I'll take your watch, so go get some rest," Mia offered, knowing that he needed it much more than he was letting on.

As stubborn as ever, Isaac refused. "Thanks Mia, but I have to do my part too so I'll be fine," he insisted.

 _No you won't,_ Mia knew with a defeated sigh. _Isaac...you have a lot of amazing qualities and you're good at everything I see you do...but I do have to admit it's kind of interesting to see you like this making a poor judgment call about your own health. I suppose it's a reminder that you're human too and can make mistakes,_ She thought with a smile.

The cerulean haired girl found that even though she was sometimes frustrated by Isaac's stubborn nature, she was still fond of the Venus adept and wanted the best for him.

"How about this?" Mia asked. "There is still some time left before your watch so at least take a quick nap to rest your eyes a little bit," she suggested.

Mia could see Isaac's mind working through the proposition and she felt relieved when he finally agreed. "I suppose that couldn't hurt," Isaac admitted, knowing he did need to get some rest at some point, and welcoming the idea. "Make sure to wake me up when it's my turn for watch," he told the girl sitting next to him as he closed his eyes and tried to let himself fall asleep.

"Sure," Mia replied and looked down at him with a kind smile as she watched his features relax, satisfied by her answer.

 _He's not going to like it when he wakes up and finds out his watch is over,_ Mia thought, amused at how quickly he appeared to be falling asleep. She stood up and walked over to the tent they shared and grabbed a blanket before walking back and draping it gently over Isaac's resting form. _Wow...he's fast asleep already,_ she realized with amazement, recognizing just how exhausted he must have actually been.

With no intention of actually waking Isaac back up, Mia settled in for her second watch of the night, this time with a crackling fire and sleeping adept at her side for company.


	6. Economic Impact

**Chapter 6: Economic Impact**

Ivan's face looked hardened to Mia, devoid of the usual glimmer of mischievous humor in his eyes as the group of adepts walked the streets of Kalay. Mia had expected the blonde boy to be more excited and happy to see his home town again, but after observing her surroundings, she was beginning to understand his guarded expression.

 _This isn't the thriving town bustling with life that Ivan described,_ Mia noted as her eyes took in empty stalls lining the streets, signs without anything printed on them, and the people walking past at a leisurely pace as if lost among what their city had become. Not wanting to be rude to Ivan, the rest of the adepts kept quiet about the air of deterioration they felt from looking around.

Glancing down an ally, Mia saw two children, no more than 5 or 6, sitting on the ground together sharing a scrap of bread between them. They lacked the energetic personality usually found among children and Mia's heart leapt out to them, feeling their distress. Tearing her gaze away from them, she saw that weary looking adults dressing in not much better than rags occasionally lined the street corners, speaking to the downward spiral the former trading city had apparently undergone in Ivan's absence.

Though visibly upset, Ivan was determined lead the adepts through the twisting streets toward the palace overlooking the rest of the town from the north. As the adepts walked up to the entrance to the palace Ivan finally faltered for the first time, noticing the state of disrepair that accompanied the palace as well. Hedges were uncut with ferns and plant life starting to poke out from the cracks in the cobblestone roadway.

As the group continued to walk up to the palace entrance, Mia noted the lanterns on the pathway remained unlit and there was some activity over on the west wing of the area. Servants of the palace were scooping food into bowls for a long line of destitute looking citizens who waited patiently for their turn to receive something to eat. A few glanced over at the adepts and Mia found it hard to meet their gaze, but most ignored the arrival of the group, having no interest in anything but the food in front of them.

"This...this isn't what Kalay is supposed to be like…" Ivan finally stated in a hesitant voice, trying to explain the sights and sounds around them to his companions.

Isaac gently placed a hand on his friend's shoulder in reassurance, though he didn't have a smile on his face either. "We understand," Isaac said simply, squeezing Ivan's shoulder slightly before dropping his hand.

As they approached the palace, two guards flanking the entrance stopped them. "The line is over that way…" one started to say on autopilot, pointing over to the food station setup Mia saw on the way in.

The other guard stopped the first in surprise. "Wait...Ivan? Is that you?" he exclaimed, as the first guard quickly glanced at each of the adepts in turn, showing more life at the sound of Ivan's name.

"Does that mean Master Hammet is okay?" the second guard asked, excited to see Ivan's return home.

Ivan looked confused at the question. "What do you mean?" he asked the pair of guards, who shared a puzzled look at his reply.

"You were with Master Hammet on his trip to Vault right?" one of the guards questioned, trying to confirm the sequence of events that led to his question, looking at each of Ivan's companions in turn. "I don't recognize these people either," the guard added, indicating the adepts standing next to Ivan.

Ivan sighed. "It's a bit of a long story, but when Hammet left Vault I stayed behind to find something that was stolen from us and ended up meeting all of these guys in the events that followed that…" he paused, switching gears to the other question the guard asked. "I was under the impression that Hammet was returning to Kalay when he left Vault…" Ivan said trailing off. "Is he not here?"

The guards shared another look before they both spoke. "That would explain it…" one said. "So you don't know…" the other one stated. The first guard shook his head. "You need to talk to Lady Layana," he said. "She can fill you in and she was expecting you to show up at some point anyway."

Mia knew there was something not right in the exchange between the guards and Ivan and could feel the worry emanating from the blonde boy as he nodded to accept the proposal. "Take us to her then," he requested, prompting the guards to give one last look over his companions before deciding they were fine because they were with Ivan.

"Follow us then," the second guard said, opening the door and ushering the party of adepts inside the halls of the palace.

The inside was nicely decorated, not overly fancy or showy, but pictures hung on the walls and decorative vases sat atop carved cabinets to give a sense of elegance to the place. Just like the town, the more Mia looked, the more unsettling the scene was. Whether it was a picture hanging slightly crooked on the wall, or empty spaces where a decoration seems like it should have been, Mia couldn't help but feel there was some untold story behind the degradation of the town as a whole.

Ivan was definitely uneasy with everything, looking around at first, but then gave up and kept his gaze straight ahead as he went down the hallway following the guards to where his adopted mother was waiting.

Reaching a set of double doors, the guards halted everyone and one knocked on the door to announce their presence. "Lady Layana?" the guard asked. "Ivan has returned and is here to see you."

A shuffling sound came from the other side of the door and a lady's voice replied. "Ivan is home? By all means, let him in," she said, sounding surprised.

The guard opened the door and ushered the group inside. "Thank you," Lady Layana said to the guards as she looked over the rest of Ivan's companions with curiosity, but not as much surprise as Mia would have expected considering they had never met before.

She was a lady of medium stature, but her red hair stood out in contrast to her simply adorned dress that betrayed elements of wealth without overdoing it. "Welcome home," she greeted Ivan with a smile before turning to introduce herself to Mia, Isaac, and Garet. "I'm Layana, Ivan's mother," she said to the trio of adepts. "I'm pleased to meet all of you."

Mia accepted her greeting and introduced herself as well. "I'm Mia from Imil," she replied. "It's nice to meet you as well Lady Layana."

Garet and Isaac also introduced themselves in a similar fashion, addressing Ivan's mother with respect and getting pleasantries out of the way so Ivan could find out what was happening in the town.

Lady Layana chuckled after the group introduced themselves. "My, my, you are all quite polite young men and women," she commented with a smile. "I'm happy to see Ivan has made some good friends on his travels so far. Please, just call me Layana. Too much formality can be tiring sometimes and friends of Ivan's are also friends of ours," she explained.

The three adepts acknowledged her request and Mia was glad to know that she seemed to be a kind hearted woman. Ivan decided to jump right to the point about everything they had seen and heard since entering the city. "What is going on here Mother?" Ivan asked, not needing to indicate anything since it was obvious what he was referencing. "Also, where is Father right now? It sounds like he might not have come home yet…?" he added trailing off.

Layana let her smile fade as the serious questions required her to think over the state of things in Kalay once again. "Come in and sit down," she replied, indicating chairs near the desk in the study. "You must be tired from your travels and everything that's happening is all related so it may be a bit of an explanation," Layana stated.

Accepting the offer, each of the adepts took a seat in the chairs across from Layana and sat back to listen to her story. Layana took a deep breath, almost like a sigh and then started in on the events that happened since Ivan left.

"As you know when going to Vault Ivan, your father Hammet was trying to see if there was any other trade opportunities there now that we've been attempting to route the silk trade around the north due to the impossibilities blocking the Silk Road. Unfortunately, the destruction of the bridge leading to Vault makes it impossible to get to that city without crossing the river in between us; something a trade caravan cannot do." Layana paused for a moment to reflect on that particular issue before explaining why it was a problem.

"Now we're unable to transport silk in mass quantities, the mainstay of our merchanting business is inaccessible and our economy is in disarray. In addition, our shipments to Tolbi over the Karagol Sea have not been successful lately either. All of these issues are putting people here out of work and forcing us to survive on scraps of our previous prosperity. There is unfortunately just not much we can do about our present situation while cut off from other towns to trade with…"

Ivan nodded following along with her story as the pieces of the puzzle started to come together. _For a place that thrived due to its ability to trade like this, being cut off so completely and utterly from all other potential trade partners is like a death blow!_ Mia realized. _Everything wrong here can be explained by the one simple fact that they've lost the ability to trade and it all ties back to the elemental stars again…_

"Your shipments are being lost at sea?" Isaac asked, picking up on the piece of unexplained information from Layana's speech.

"Yes," Layana clarified, looking over at the blonde boy. "Over the last couple months we started to lose ships in the middle of the sea. No matter if it was from Tolbi or Kalay, ships started to not make it to their destinations without any explanation. At first we thought it was just coincidence and bad luck, however the amount of ships vanishing into thin air has increased as of late and now it's extremely difficult to find anyone willing to sail across the sea since superstition and fear has infected the sailors."

"I see…" Isaac considered, not offering up his thoughts on the matter just yet.

"There are no pirates or any other settlements even near this sea," Layana explained her puzzlement over the situation. "We suspect there's something behind this...some reason that the ships just...disappear...but have no idea what it could be."

"I wonder…" Isaac though, before trailing off, catching the attention of Layana and the other adepts.

Mia glanced over to Isaac. "You're thinking it has something to do with the environmental changes don't you?" she asked, intentionally keeping the question vague.

Isaac nodded to confirm Mia's observation. _I knew it,_ Mia thought. _He knows there's something wrong with that sea that's changed...especially given the time frame in which ships began disappearing._

The idea clicked for Garet too. "Just like the Mogall Forest!" the Mars adept exclaimed. "Maybe the ships get lost at sea the same way we were getting lost there…" he added.

The idea definitely made sense and Layana helped confirm it with her own thoughts. "You came from the east then didn't you?" she asked rhetorically. "If figures that you would be the only travelers capable of making through those parts to us these days," she said.

"What do you mean?" Isaac asked, surprised to her that she put that much stock in their ability without even knowing three of the people sitting in the study.

"You are all like Ivan aren't you?" Layana asked. "You're adepts…" she clarified.

The four adepts looked shocked as she asked the question. "You could tell?" Garet chimed in.

"Technically not" Layana admitted with a smile. "Though I suspected as much…" She shifted in her seat, adopting a warmer expression now that she was not discussing her dying city. "We knew Ivan was an adept long ago," she explained. "Back when Hammet and I were young, Hammet would often explore the world searching for new business ventures. It was on one of these trips to the far west where Hammet was in trouble and saved by a band of Jupiter adepts."

Ivan leaned back in his seat and Layana began to tell the story, having heard it before when he was younger. _I wonder if this will shed light on Ivan's past…_ Mia thought after Layana mentioned Jupiter Adepts.

"Anyway," Layana continued. "These adepts gave Hammet some business advice and asked us to adopt Ivan here as well since they claimed to have powers of foresight. The advice they gave was to buy silk in Xian and sell it in Tolbi...and as you can see, the advice was perfect. Kalay didn't even use to exist before this time and everything you see around you here was the result of that one piece of advice...no matter how diminished it is right now." Layana sighed. "Hammet holds adepts in very high regard as a result of this success."

She turned to Ivan and gave him a smile. "You returning here with your adept friends isn't actually a surprise to us at all," Layana admitted, reaching a part of the story Ivan had never heard before causing him to sit up in his chair and eye his mother cautiously.

Layana continued before anyone could ask any questions about her last statement. "Those same Jupiter adepts warned us that the day would come where you would need to leave on a journey with others of your kind and that it was your destiny to undertake that trip."

The looks of shock on each adept's face made Layana laugh briefly as she held up a hand to ward off questions. "Three years after the storm that hit only Mt. Aleph…" she quoted. "That is what the Jupiter adepts told him." She turned back to her adopted son. "We've known this was coming for quite some time," she explained.

Ivan didn't know how to take this revelation and at in silence, contemplating what this could mean as Mia felt her head spinning from the surprising reveal. _These events were predicted beforehand by wherever Ivan actually came from…_ Mia thought, trying to wrap her head around the idea of Ivan's actions already being predestined. _It's not impossible for them to have seen the future...after all Feizhi was able to do it as well though she only developed the power recently…_

Seeing that the adepts were absorbed in their own thoughts on the matter, Layana gave them a moment to dissect everything she had just told them before speaking again. "Those adepts also gave us that staff you carry with you Ivan," Layana added. "They said that you would need its power when the time is right."

Ivan picked his head up as he registered the comment. "So that's why father was so upset when it was stolen…" Ivan said slowly, glancing to where the Shaman's Rod was sitting by his pack on the floor.

Layana gave a pained smile as she stood up and walked over to the window to look out at the grounds outside. "I know it's time to let you go...even if as a mother, it is hard to do."

Everything she explained was hard to process for the group and it seemed to Mia like the conversation was moving so fast. _Since she knew this was coming already, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised,_ Mia mused, glancing over at Ivan to see how he was taking things. _He actually seems to be doing quite well considering he just found out half the the information we did…_

"What about father?" Ivan asked, looking over at his mother and addressing the one subject they had not yet broached.

Layana stiffened up, noticeable to the adepts even though her back was turned. "Hammet is...not here right now," she replied, avoiding the question and composing herself before turning back to the party.

Once again confusion swept across the adepts in the room and the underlying feelings of uncertainty began to creep out at the vague answer. Knowing she would have to explain herself, Layana spoke again. "After leaving Vault, Hammet was blocked off from returning home immediately and he decided to head north away from a rockslide towards Lunpa…" she stated.

"Lunpa?!" Ivan exclaimed, surprised that his father would even consider going to such a place. "But there's nothing there except thieves…"

"I know," Layana said simply. "Hammet knew too, but said he had no choice. They seized the caravan and the town's ruler Donpapa is holding him hostage to extort money from us," she revealed.

"Hostage?" Isaac asked seriously, looking over at Ivan's reaction as well.

"What are they going to do with him?" Ivan asked, his expression grim.

Mia looked pensive as she considered the negative outcomes of Hammet being kidnapped for ransom. _It's not something related to our quest, but we can't just leave Ivan's father trapped there. There must be some way we can rescue him and bring him home…_

"Don't worry," Layana said, breaking the negative thoughts the adepts were having about Hammet's wellbeing. "They won't hurt him in any way. They need the ransom money they are asking for to survive as well since they relied on our trade thriving and it no longer is. They can't afford to lose him."

Ivan gave a sigh of relief as he understood the logic behind those words, but was still visibly upset as expected. He gave a glance over to Ivan, Garet, and Mia who all nodded silently in agreement. Speaking for the group, Ivan addressed his mother. "We will go get him back," Ivan said, offering to detour to save Hammet from Donpapa's clutches.

"No, no," Layana replied to the surprise of the adepts. She paced across the room and turned back to Ivan. "You have your destiny to fulfill. Not even this can stand in the way of your journey now. Your father would say the same thing if he was here as well."

"We are not so pressed for time that rescuing Hammet would prevent us from completing our mission," Isaac argued, surprised by Layana's insistence that their quest was the top priority.

Layana just shook her head slowly. "Even if you were able to help, the town of Lunpa has been locked down completely. They posted guards and lookouts at the closed barricades since they know we would want to get him back if possible."

Garet stood up, looking energized and pissed off at the situation. "In that case we can just break their barricades down and storm in there if needed!" he exclaimed, a flicker of flame emanating from his open palm.

Eyeing Garet's hand warily, Layana let out a sigh in response to the outburst. "Actually...that's the last thing we would want to do," she stated. "You saw the state of our city right now...if we were to become embroiled in a conflict now…"

Garet relaxed a bit and sat back down to listen to her words as Isaac leaned back in his chair with an understanding expression on his face. Mia noted that Ivan was still having a hard time accepting the idea of leaving his father in the clutches of thieves, and was still mulling the situation over. _I get it,_ Mia thought to herself. _They can't afford to fight against them due to how poorly the town has fared because they would actually lose…_

"There are a lot of moving parts to this, aren't there?" Mia asked, chiming in and catching Layana's attention.

Though Layana nodded and acknowledged Mia's comment, she was unable to reply because Ivan spoke up. "I don't like the idea of leaving Father behind…" he said. "There must be something we can do for him…"

Mia sympathized with the feelings Ivan was having, knowing that the state of things back home would likely weigh on his mind if they continued on their journey and left Kalay as such a mess.

Layana paced across the room again, considering her adopted son's sentiments. "You came from the east right?" she finally asked, looking at Isaac after observing the group's behavior and determining he was their de facto leader.

"Yes," Isaac nodded, confirming the answer, wondering where she was going with it.

"Hmmm," Layana paused her pacing. "That means you must be heading west…" with a smile, she turned to look at each of the adepts in turn before her eyes landed on Ivan. "In that case, the best thing you could do is try to find out why our ships aren't reaching Tolbi since you're going that direction anyway. With adepts such as yourselves on the ship, you should be safe and you might be able to discover what is blocking our shipping routes and cutting off our trade…"

"I get it," Mia said. "You're saying the best way for us to help the town as well as Master Hammet is to open up trade routes again to revive the economy…" The Mercury haired adept was impressed with Layana's grasp of economics and trade. _I suppose Ivan's father must have seen the same thing in her and appreciated the fact she is just as capable a tradesman as him…_

"Precisely," Layana replied with a smile. Making a decision, she walked over to her desk again and sat down in her chair.

Layana pulled out a piece of parchment before writing something on it and handing the note over to Ivan. "Give this to the dockmaster down at the docks. It will secure you passage on one of the ships slated to head to Tolbi for Colosso tomorrow morning." Addressing the whole group, Layana spoke. "Go...you all have your own destiny to follow. We will negotiate with Lunpa and worry about getting Hammet back."

Knowing it would be rude to continue to insist on helping, the adepts all rose from their chairs and bowed respectfully towards Ivan's mother. "We appreciate your guidance and assistance," Isaac stated, grateful to have a way across the Kargol Sea to their next destination.

"Thank You," Mia and Garet concurred after Isaac spoke, conveying their agreement with Isaac.

Ivan turned to the rest of the group with a somewhat troubled, yet hopeful look on his face. "Do you guys mind taking care of provisions and everything else?" He asked the other three adepts who were about to leave. "I'd like some more time to speak with my mother for a bit," Ivan explained.

 _He must be conflicted about his father and the fact we have easy passage across the sea, but can't really do anything to help Hammet_ , Mia knew. "Of course Ivan," she gave the blonde boy an encouraging smile to try to alleviate the heavy mood around him. Nodding again at Layana, Mia turned to leave with the other adepts in tow to give Ivan a chance to speak alone.

As they opened the heavy door, the guard outside snapped to attention and helped them, holding it open so the three adepts could leave. "I hope all went well in there," the guard mentioned as the trio walked with him to the exit of the palace again.

"It did, thanks," Isaac answered as they traversed the halls again, this time with some context as to why certain decorations seemed to be missing in empty spaces and what the money from selling them was probably being used for.

"We were very glad to have you all show up. Knowing that Ivan was safe for sure was a huge relief for us all. It was bad enough that Hammet got captured...though we are a resourceful bunch so we'll get him back one way or another," the guard added positively, before pushing open the front door to the courtyard.

 _The guards they use here are quite informal compared to most other places,_ Mia realized as they continue to chat back and forth.

"I just wish there was a way for us to help with that," Garet said with a slight frown, unable to provide his assistance to the cause. "Of course Lady Layana told us specifically not to go break open the front gates…" he continued, trailing off.

The guard shared a hearty laugh. "I like you big guy," he jested. "You think like some of the other guards do, even though we know it would be bad for us as a town that relies on trade as Lady Layana doubtlessly told you."

"That she did," Garet replied with a smile of his own. As they reached the edge of the grounds and the guard saw the group off, Garet asked one last question. "Where's a good inn around here where I could possibly talk to some to the sailors that sail the Karagol Sea?"

The guard stopped for a second before pointing to the west side of town. "If you head down that street and take a right at the lampost, you'll end up at Land's Edge Inn. That's where some of the sailors from towns on the other side of the sea stay when they come here. There are actually a decent amount in town these days that don't want to go back across so you should be able to find a few."

"Thank you," Garet replied simply, nodding toward the guard, who nodded back in respect.

"Have a good rest of the day," the guard replied with a short wave, before turning and heading back to the palace, leaving the adepts on their own.

"Why do you want to go talk to sailors?" Mia asked Garet as soon as the guard was out of earshot.

"If we're going to be crossing the seas where ships sometimes disappear, I'd like to know why," Garet pointed out. "Sailors might have a tendency to embellish stories a bit, but there could be some value to hearing what they have to say so we know what to watch out for."

Isaac nodded, looking thoughtful. "That's a good idea Garet," he said, agreeing with the Mars Adept's reasoning.

"I suppose Isaac and I can stock up on supplies then," Mia added, voicing no objection to the plan. Parting ways with Garet, Mia and Isaac began to walk down the streets in the trade district, searching for shops that would allow them to restock supplies. The story seemed to be the same everywhere the pair looked, with empty vendor stalls lining the cobblestone streets, unable to provide the goods they normally would.

Knowing it was on Isaac's mind as well, Mia broached the topic. "It's just certain vendors and products that are having issues," she commented as the two adepts walked past an empty market stall sitting next to a food vendor that was advertising his wares.

"Some of the actual shops seem fine too," Isaac replied, stopping to peer in the windows of a bakery that was teeming with life. The strange dichotomy between a bustling trade town and a stagnant economy was playing out in front of their eyes. Though the town seemed to mostly be operating as normal where possible, all the signs of unease were there as well, just like on their first walkthrough of Kalay with Ivan and Garet.

It was unsettling to Mia that she could see a piece of the prosperous town Ivan described to them, but also the ghost of businesses that were completely eliminated by the inability to effectively trade over long distances for the past few months. It was really a sad thing to see, but Mia knew there was not much they could offer in the way of help other than investigate the issue with the ships as Lady Layana said.

Wanting to take Mia's mind off of the state of the city, Isaac spoke up as they walked. "You're serious about this whole melee combat thing aren't you?" Isaac asked nonchalantly, knowing that once Mia's mind made a decision, there was rarely any going back on it.

The distraction worked and Mia thought back to the Lamakan Desert as well as her conversation with Isaac shortly thereafter regarding how to further improve their combat abilities. She smiled at the blonde boy and gave him a nod. "Indeed...I still need to get strong enough to hold my own in a battle even without psynergy if necessary," she replied.

As the pair turned onto another cobblestone street, their destination appeared in front of them and they stopped to enter the shop. A small wooden sign hung from an overhang with the image of an herb and vial on it, indicating that it was the apothecary Isaac and Mia were looking for. With a sidelong glance at Isaac, Mia knew he had more to say regarding melee combat, but the blonde boy shrugged instead and opened the door for Mia to step inside.

Allowing the conversation to fall by the wayside for the time being, Mia glanced around the well lit shop, taking in the earthy smell as she saw herbs growing in all corners of the room. Isaac followed her inside, allowing the door to gently shut behind them and the pair was approached by a middle aged lady wearing an apron.

"Welcome, welcome," the shopkeeper said, ushering them further inside with a friendly smile. "What brings the two of you here today?" she asked, looking back and forth at Isaac and Mia expectantly.

Mia returned the smile with one of her own. "Thank you," she stated politely. "We're just here to pick up any medicinal herbs we can use for a journey we're on," Mia explained. Glancing around the shop again to see if she could find what she was looking for, Mia stopped as she noted the plants growing in the left corner of the room.

Following Mia's gaze, the shopkeeper smiled again. "Ah...it seems you know what you came for," she commented, walking over to some of the plants she had growing by one of the windows allowing light inside.

"Tell me dear…" the shopkeeper started to ask curiously. "Do you have some training in the art of herbalism yourself?"

Mia stopped inspecting the plants to answer. "I actually do know a bit about it," she replied with a smile of her own, humble about the extent of her knowledge.

Isaac stepped over and placed a reassuring hand on Mia's shoulders. "She's actually being quite modest," he explained, catching the lady's attention. "Her understanding of traditional medicines has come in handy quite a bit over the course of our travels," Isaac stated. Mia could feel her cheeks burning with a slight blush, unsure if the sudden heat was caused by embarrassment at the boast about he abilities or Isaac's touch on her shoulder.

"Is that so…?" The shopkeeper wondered aloud, raising her eyebrow at the pair's interaction. "Well I have to admit it's not often that I get visitors who know the difference between a Coriond and Calfius plant…"

"A-Anyway…." a flustered Mia said, turning away from the two named plants she had been inspecting and stepping in a different direction to force Isaac to drop his hand without being too obvious about it. "I do actually want some Calfius herbs if you have some in stock," Mia stated, trying to get things back to business.

The shopkeeper chuckled, entertained by the younger pair. "Well my dear, you're in luck. I actually was just picking some Calfius herbs today that I was planning to use in an ointment, but I can sell them to you instead if you'd like."

"Oh no," Mia replied with a shake of her head. "If you need them, I'm sure I could find something else that would suit our needs…" she tried to say.

"Don't worry about it," The shopkeeper replied, dismissing the notion with a wave as she walked back over to the counter where she was working when Isaac and Mia entered the shop. "You must understand that most people that come here have no knowledge of how to create the medicine themselves and want it pre-made by me. I still have some vials of this particular ointment left so it's no issue for me to just sell you the herbs instead," she told Mia with a smile.

Mia approached the counter as the middle aged lady started stacking the herbs Mia requested neatly into package that she could wrap up, leaving Isaac looking on from afar as the two women worked out the transaction. Halfway through wrapping them up the herbalist suddenly stopped, and looked back up to Mia. "You did want the herbs themselves and not an ointment right?" She asked for clarification since neither of them had ever actually specified that fact other than talking about the type of herb.

"Yes, the herbs themselves would be great," Mia replied with a grateful smile as the reassured shopkeep finished wrapping up the herbs into a neat package for her.

"I thought so," the shopkeeper answered. "Being the bright young lady you are, I figured since you were asking about the herbs specifically, you wanted the flexibility to use them in whatever you need as opposed to a pre-made medication." Handing the package over the Mia, she smiled and named her price for the herbs. "That'll be 10 gold my dear."

Mia pulled out a small coin pouch she had brought with her and counted out 10 gold coins for the herbs and handed them over to the shopkeeper, who smiled at the Mercury adept. "It looks like you have a good man there," the herbalist told Mia in a hushed voice nodding over at Isaac, who was not paying attention to their transaction anymore and instead looking over some of the other plants in the shop.

Mia's face turned beet red at the insinuation that she and Isaac were a couple, much to the amusement of the older lady. The suddenness of the situation put Mia at a loss for words, but fortunately the shopkeeper saved her from needing to recover her voice.

"Ah...it's not like that yet is it?" she asked rhetorically, even more amused by the blush that had rapidly spread across Mia's face. "Well dear...If I can give you any advice on the matter I'd tell you to stay close to kindhearted souls like your companion here. It seems he's the encouraging type who will stick up for you, which is a wonderful thing to have in life," the herbalist added, referencing Isaac's comment about Mia's herbalism skills.

Raising her voice again, the older lady thanked Mia and Isaac for stopping in. "I appreciate you coming by and hope you both have a wonderful trip," she said, nodding her head towards her customers slightly.

"Thank you again," Mia replied still slightly flustered by the comments regarding Isaac, before turning to leave with the blonde boy.

Isaac thanked the shopkeeper as well who replied with a smile of her own and a wave as he joined Mia on the way out the door. Mia's mind was buzzing as she tried to re-center her mindset, but Isaac could tell there was something up.

"Are you all right?" Isaac asked the cerulean haired girl as he opened the door to allow her to exit the shop. "You seem kind of red," he stated.

"I think the heat was getting to me a bit," Mia replied as nonchalantly as possible, not able to admit to him the real reason for her face being flushed.

The herbalist overheard the exchange and just shook her head with an amused grin, seeing something between the two that they could not as Isaac and Mia stepped back onto the street.

"I'll be all right," Mia reassured Isaac with a grin, successfully convincing the Venus adept that she would be okay. "Where to now?" she followed up, allowing Isaac to also focus on their next destination as opposed to her excuse about how she was feeling.

"Ah….yes, there's one more stop I'd like to make," Isaac answered her, omitting the specifics as they began walking down one of the many cobblestone streets once again. Mia's mind was still worked up over the herbalist's words as she walked along next to the boy they were about, preventing her from inquiring about their destination.

 _She thought Isaac and I…_ Mia squeezed her eyes shut tightly in a long blink as the thought of her and Isaac together entered her mind again. _I wonder if that's really what we looked like though..._ she considered, glancing over at Isaac with the slight turn of her head.

The streets were getting noisier as the two adepts continued walking, distracting Mia from the embarrassing thoughts in her head. The people passing by were less in number, but spoke more loudly to be heard over the the din of metal hitting metal repeatedly in the background.

"Where are we headed?" Mia finally inquired as the banging noises increased as they continued to walk toward them.

"The blacksmith," Isaac answered. "You said you were serious about learning physical combat so we're going to get you a weapon," he explained.

"Oh, okay," Mia replied, letting her determination rise again. _I guess now is as good a time as ever to start learning,_ she thought, realizing that while she had talked about it and did genuinely want to learn to better defend herself in combat, she hadn't considered how she would go about actually doing it.

Mia glanced over at the sword strapped to Isaac's back and considered herself wielding such a weapon. Though Isaac often switched between a larger sword using two hands and a smaller, thinner blade that could be used with one, Mia thought of herself attempting to use the two handed one and the image in her mind made her laugh. _There's no way I'm even going to attempt that,_ Mia smiled with an amused shake of her head.

The laugh caught Isaac's attention and he glanced over at his companion. "What's so funny?" he asked her, thinking he missed something that she had seen.

"Nothing," Mia replied with a grin. "I just thought about myself trying to use that sword of yours and well...you know that would probably be a disaster," the Mercury adept explained.

Isaac held back his own laugh, trying not to make fun of the girl, but a grin escaped at the thought of Mia fighting with a two handed blade. "I...agree that maybe that wouldn't be the best idea," Isaac replied, keeping his voice steady and still refusing to laugh. He looked at Mia with a kind smile. "I think we'll find something a bit easier to learn to use that will suit you better."

Mia nodded as the two approached the blacksmith's shop and noticed a younger man, likely the blacksmith's apprentice, outside hammering out a piece of metal and causing the noise they heard on the way. The apprentice's back was to the adepts so he didn't noticed their approach as they made their way into the shop itself.

A burly man looked up from some paperwork on the counter as they walked in, seizing them up, somewhat surprised to see Mia standing there next to Isaac. The man looked like a blacksmith, rugged, with muscular arms and large hands, perfect for pounding out metal into weapons and armor. Setting his paperwork aside, the man introduced himself as the town blacksmith and glanced at the large sword strapped to Isaac's back before looking back at the pair.

"That seems like a mighty fine blade you've got there," He commented with a lazy gesture of his hand to indicate what he was speaking about. Mia found herself glancing over at Isaac's weapon again briefly as they approached the counter.

"It's certainly served me well," Isaac replied, with a fond glance back at the pommel raising above his shoulder line.

"So what is it that brings you into my shop today son? Repairs? Perhaps you need some armor….?" the blacksmith asked Isaac, looking over the gear he had brought with him.

Isaac shook his head to say that it wasn't either of those before indicating Mia at his side. "Actually we're here today for her," he explained shortly.

The man looked taken aback for a second, wondering if he had heard correctly, before shifting his attention to Mia and giving her a once over. "Hmm...is that so…" Mia could tell the request was unusual and imagined not many women frequented the shop based on what they were selling. "So miss...what can I do for you then?" the blacksmith asked, unsure where to start.

Steeling herself and diving into the new situation, Mia replied. "I need to purchase a weapon," she said, not sure exactly what she was looking for.

"A weapon you say…" the man repeated, looking for clues that would tell him what kind of weapon she was looking for, but finding none. "Well, we sell all kinds of weapons, so let me know what kind you'd like and I can show you some options."

Isaac stepped in to assist in the conversation since he knew Mia didn't really know what would be good for her. "She's not really a melee fighter," he explained to the shopkeeper, who nodded in agreement with something he finally found normal in the entire exchange. "She is actually looking to learn more about how to fight effectively and protect herself in combat so what we need is a weapon well suited to basic attack and defense, but also with minimal upkeep."

Coming out from behind the counter, the blacksmith got a better eye for Mia's stature while absorbing Isaac's words. "Well I must admit, I don't often have women coming to me asking to purchase weapons...though it has happened before and I usually recommend a dagger for personal defense…" the man mused as he tried to figure out what to do. "I don't believe that meets your specifications though...and judging by the look of you, you appear to be travelers that see more combat than most," he commented, looking over and Isaac and back to Mia for confirmation.

"We do," Mia replied. "These are dangerous times for travelers and I should really learn how to use a weapon more effectively for when we need to fight.," she explained.

The blacksmith seemed to be pondering the dilemma and looked away to check out a selection of weapons behind the counter. "She's stronger than you might think as well," Isaac spoke up to see if that would help the man come to a conclusion.

"Is that so…" he said, turning back to eye Mia again curiously before going back to the weapons he had available. Selecting a weapon from a barrel in the corner, he pulled it out and weighed it in his hand. "In that case, maybe a mace would work well for her," he said with a smile, turning back to the adepts with a small mace that he handed to Mia. "Simple, effective, low maintenance, and relatively lightweight in some cases…" the blacksmith rattled off the perks of a mace to the two adepts. "What do you think?" he asked Mia as the cerulean haired girl felt the weight of it in her hand.

 _It doesn't seem much more useful than my staff,_ Mia thought as she stepped back and tested her reach with the weapon as well as her ability to swing it gently. "I'm not sure about this one," Mia stated as she gave it another swing.

Isaac frowned watching the display in front of him. "I think it's too lightweight," Isaac added his opinion. "You might need something at least a little bit heavier that can inflict more damage."

Mia nodded in agreement and handed the mace back to the blacksmith, who put it back in the barrel from where it came. "More heft huh…?" The man asked himself as he walked over to some weapons leaning up against a wall, sorting through a few before another smile lit up his face. "Ah...This might be the one for you," he said, picking it up and carrying it over to Mia to have her try it.

Mia gripped the mace with one hand and tried lifting it, struggling slightly, but still being able to control it effectively. A few swings of the weapon let Mia feel the weight behind it, making a satisfying swooshing noise as it cut through the air. The wooden handle and leather grip felt comfortable to her as she adjusted her hand the the shaft.

"This is much better," Mia said, feeling the smooth leather against her skin and admiring the star-like shape of the metal weight at the end, tapering into a single point at the far end of the mace. "It might be just barely on the heavy side for me, but I think I can handle it and get used to it with some practice," she explained.

The shopkeeper was happy to hear that and was excited to see that she would be able to wield a mace like that well. "Excellent!" he replied. "I thought that one looked like it was a good match for you as well," he explained, glancing over at Isaac to see his reaction.

Isaac gave a nod of approval, seeing that it was the near perfect balance of usability and weight for Mia. "I believe we have ourselves a deal then," the blacksmith said, glad he could help the adepts find what they were looking for.

Heading back to the counter, the blacksmith found a small leather belt and handed it to Mia as well. "Here, put this on," he said. "This belt will let you hook the mace to it so you can walk around without holding it all the time," he explained. "I'll throw that in for you with the mace since you're new to weapons like this and are going to need it."

"Thank you!" Mia replied with a gracious bow, doing as instructed and attaching the mace to the belt so it could hand by her side as Isaac paid for the newly acquired weapon.

"Ah...don't think me too much," The blacksmith replied as he looked up from the completed transaction to see the new Mia, all ready for combat. "That belt is much too small to be useful to most of my clientele or the guards around here," he explained. "It looks great on you so I'm glad that someone has a use for it and it won't just keep sitting in my shop collecting dust," the man added with a hearty chuckle. "Well I hope you two don't need it much, but if you do, it should serve you well on your travels," he added as a goodbye.

Thanking the blacksmith again for his assistance, Isaac and Mia stepped out of the shop with her new weapon in hand. The newfound weight at her hip was unbalancing to Mia, but she figured she would get used to it in due time.

"Say...we still have some time before dinner," Isaac said, prompting Mia to look over at the blonde boy. "What do you say we get a little practice in with your new mace?" Isaac asked with a grin.

Mia hesitated at the sudden proposal, but corrected herself quickly and smiled. "Sure," she answered. "Like you said, we do have some extra time and I can't think of anything else we need to do right now."

Isaac seemed excited at the prospect of teaching Mia and surprised her, grabbing her hand and leading her through the streets towards the edge of the city. "They likely won't take too kindly to us swinging weapons around inside the city limits," Isaac explained as they walked quickly outside the city gates. Passerby stared at the pair as they went past due to how much they stood out from the crowd.

 _It's not every day you see a mace wielding girl with blue hair accompanied by a traveler with a giant sword after all,_ Mia mused, considering how strange they must look to the regular townsfolk.

Reaching the gates, Isaac let go of Mia's hand, no longer concerned about being caught up in the crowds on the streets. As they walked out of the city and onto the grassy plain in front of it, Isaac scanned the area for a suitable place to practice. A patch of land in front of the town walls that was devoid of grass caught his eye. Figuring it was perfect for what he had in mind, Isaac lead the Mercury adept over to it and turned to face her.

Mia scanned the area, seeing the empty plain around them with the town walls in the background, assuring herself that she would not have to embarrass herself in front of other people.

"Don't worry...There's nobody else around," Isaac stated with a grin, reading Mia's mind. Mia gave him a half smile back, nervous, but still determined now that she had come this far. Feeling the unusual weight of the mace at her side, Mia reached down and unhooked it from her belt, holding it next to her as she waited for Isaac to say something.

The blonde just stood there for a moment, looking at her and Mia began to wonder what he was thinking. _The mace still feels foreign in my hand,_ she thought, running her fingertips gently over the smooth leather handle. Not waiting for Isaac any longer, Mia swung the mace through the air with the same swooshing sound as she heard in the blacksmith's shop to test it out. Though the mace was heavy, she found that she didn't really have any issues swinging it; the only trouble she had was stopping the swing at the end without being thrown off balance.

Isaac continued to watch Mia practice swinging the mace as she got used to its heft before holding his hand up and interrupting her. "Hang on Mia," he called out, prompting her to stop what she was doing. "Try swinging it from different angles...like this," Isaac demonstrated. The blonde boy raised his hand and brought it crashing down, mimicking an overhead swing. Transitioning from his last demonstration, Isaac also showed her an underhanded swing that started low and ended higher in the air as another alternative.

Mia nodded at Isaac. Adjusting herself, she brought the mace crashing down toward the ground, noting that it required completely different balance than the horizontal swings she was just working on.

"Woah!" Isaac said as he approached the cerulean haired girl cautiously to avoid being walloped by her brand new weapon. "Your footwork is out of place to offset the change in balance with that swing," Isaac said, inspecting the placement of Mia's feet as he circled around her.

"Yeah, I could feel that something was off," Mia replied, following Isaac's gaze towards her feet. "I didn't consider that it would be more than just swinging the mace since it's a lot heavier than my staff," she added, recognizing the mistake.

Isaac dropped to a knee and put his hand out to indicate what stance Mia should use. "Try moving this foot here," he said, waiting for Mia's reaction before widening her legs to improve balance and stability when swinging the weapon. "This should help prevent you from stumbling after a heavy strike," Isaac explained, standing back up and dusting his knee off before walking around behind her again.

From behind, Mia could feel Isaac move up close to her and reach out with his hand to grab her arm that was holding the mace. "Try starting your swing closer to here," Isaac instructed, moving her arm down farther and a little wider than before.

Mia shivered uncontrollably as she felt Isaac's breath on her ear, hyper aware of the blonde boy's close proximity to her as he adjusted her position. Her heart fluttered quickly, a bout of nerves coming on from Isaac's touch as she again recalled the herbalist's words from a short while ago. Flushing uncontrollably, Mia attempted to get her thoughts under control even though she knew Isaac wasn't acting like this on purpose. _No! No! Not now,_ she told herself. _This is the worst time to start feeling this way_ , Mia knew.

She adapted the position that Isaac indicated, careful not to move her feet at all despite the obvious distraction right behind her. Mia willed herself not to think of Isaac, a daunting task with his arm around her, resting on hers. _Calm yourself!_ Mia's mind told her, even as her heartbeat increased in pace, a rapid reminder of the situation she was in.

Isaac backed off to allow her to swing the mace, saying something that Mia didn't hear properly as she trembled at the sensation of Isaac's hand brushing her arm as it pulled away. Shuddering, the Mercury adept closed her eyes and tilted her head back, drawing in a deep breath to calm herself and remind herself that Isaac had backed off.

Knowing it would be awkward if she stood there too long without moving, Mia readied herself and took a swing of the mace again to test the new balance, following it through with a twist of her body as her footwork kept her in place and prevented her from stumbling.

"Very nice!" Isaac commented, knowing it would take some more refinement and tweaks to perfect the balance and detail, but happy to see his instruction paid off.

Mia took her time to reply, still normalizing her thoughts after the close encounter. "Thanks," Mia replied in turn, facing Isaac despite the tinge of pink left in her cheeks. "It helped to fix my feet like that," she also explained, knowing the balancing made a huge difference for her.

Isaac smiled, glad to know his adjustments were helpful, but noticed that she was awkwardly standing there as if she was lost in thought. "Are you okay?" the Venus adept questioned, concern for his companion showing as the smile dropped from his face.

"What? Oh!" Mia replied back, jumping slightly as she was jerked out of her daze by Isaac's question and subsequent approach again. "Y-Yes," I'm fine, she stuttered out unconvincingly, but the smile reassured Isaac and he let the matter go.

In reality, Mia's mind was abuzz with thoughts, playing back the feeling of Isaac's touch as he helped her adjust to her new mace, surprised to find herself actually enamored by it. _I….liked that,_ Mia realized, surprised by the signs and signals indicating her enjoyment of the experience despite the fact she was supposed to be training for combat. _I wouldn't mind at all if I felt that way again…_ a stray thought ran through Mia's head, causing her to blush furiously again as she realized what it was.

"Well anyway, that's the basic stance you can use," Isaac broke into her thoughts with a comment on their training. "You should probably practice that swing some more just to fine tune it to work best for you," he added, backing away from her a little more so she would have room to try.

 _No!_ Mia's mind cried out, suppressing the rational side of her thoughts telling her to let Isaac back off. _You can still use more of his help…_ she heard in her head, fixating on the thought of his touch. _I would improve and learn more with extra help,_ Mia considered, rationalizing her desire by masking it behind the guise of training.

"Actually Isaac…." Mia spoke up, much to the horror of the rational side of her mind. "Maybe...maybe you could show me another stance to practice as well?" she said, becoming more timid as she trailed off near the end of the question.

Isaac looked surprised for a second, but smiled and nodded, not realizing what was going on in Mia's mind. "Sure Mia. It would be a good idea to practice a few different styles at the same time to learn faster," he replied.

 _Oh Mercury, what am I doing?_ Mia thought, turning her face slightly from Isaac in embarassment of what she knew she was thinking as he began walking back toward her.

 _I'm a horrible person aren't I?_ Mia reflected as she felt her heartbeat began to race again in anticipation of Isaac's approach. _I hope Isaac has a lot to teach me tonight..._

* * *

 _Sorry it's been a while since I've updated the story. Life has been busy and I don't want to put out chapters that were too rushed and not up to standard. This one turned out okay even though I was trying to cover a lot in it from character development as well as the main story of the games while not glossing over the fact Hammet was captured. I always found it odd that the party just threw up their arms in the game and said "oh well" and continued their quest until they found a psynergy that would work to break him out._

 _I did my best to explain some kind of reasoning behind doing so to tie in the action in game in a believable storyline. Hope you all continue to enjoy =)_


	7. A Dangerous Crossing

**Chapter 7: A Dangerous Crossing**

Mia sat on the steps of a passenger ship making its way to Tolbi across the Kargol Sea, vigilant and ready for combat should any more sea monsters attack the ship. There had already been two attacks on the vessel, both repelled with the help of the adepts and a couple of warriors headed for the Colosso tournament due to start in Tolbi, but there was always the possibility of more.

Mia's mace rested between her legs as she sat there, its heavy metal head dirtied by the blood of sea monsters that had previously attacked them. This must be what has been causing issues for the sailors recently that Lady Layana warned us about, Mia thought, not bothering to wipe off her mace since she was expecting another attack at some point.

The wind was strong today, pulling the ship along at a rapid pace and causing Mia's hair to blow from behind her into her face. Though she did it up in a ponytail to prevent it from causing visibility issues, the hair from the side of her head still blew into her eyes on occasion and forced her to clear it away.

The creaking of the wooden ship could be heard clearly as they moved through the water thanks to the crew being quieter and apprehensive about the monster attacks so far. Glancing around the deck, Mia spotted Garet pacing back and forth along the railing of the ship, looking out into the waves for incoming monsters. Isaac was standing, his sword still drawn, with one of the crew members of the ship, talking back and forth. Ivan was leaning against the mast heading up to the crow's nest, seemingly relaxed, but his eyes were alert and wary. Catching Mia's eye when she looked over his way, Ivan nodded at her in greeting.

Returning Ivan's greeting with a smile, Mia leaned back on the stairs and raised her arms above her head to stretch out her muscles after their last battle. She felt tired and her body was already sore from the training she had undergone with Isaac just the day before. _Combat like this clearly uses different muscles than I've used in the past_ , Mia mused, contorting her body to try to work the kinks out..

Isaac's training had really helped her figure out the basics of melee combat and allow her the baseline needed to improve her efficiency with melee weapons. Mia was surprised to find she actually quite enjoyed the training session. _I...did enjoy that for more than just learning about the mace though_ , Mia thought, the embarrassment of the other day coming back to her mind.

She had not had a chance to work through her feelings about that particular situation yet. The short rests between the creatures attacking them on the boat was the only downtime Mia had since last night, and she kept finding her thoughts ending back up on the blonde boy. _This is really not the time for this..._ Mia thought, but she knew that with the journey she was on, it would never really be the right time to stop and consider external matters such as the feelings she was experiencing around Isaac more and more often. Tapping her foot on the deck in tune to music in her own mind, Mia distracted herself to prevent herself from dwelling on her thoughts.

"Nervous?" A familiar voice asked calmly from Mia's left. Startled by the sudden comment, Mia jumped slightly and turned toward the sound to see that Isaac had quietly made his way over and was standing on the deck above her to the left. The blonde boy was leaning forward against the wooden railing, resting his head on his arms, yellow scarf twitching slightly in the wind every time a breeze passed by. Given her spot in the middle of the stairs, Mia could stand up and be nearly eye level with him, easily within a comfortable distance to hold a conversation.

"You surprised me," Mia answered him simply, noting that he too was relaxed despite the recent attacks by sea monsters. Isaac chuckled at her answer, but offered nothing further as he awaited a real reply. "Do I look nervous?" Mia asked, answering Isaac's question with another question.

Isaac indicated her knee, which was still bouncing up and down without Mia noticing. "I don't know," he replied. "That just looked like a nervous habit to me," Isaac explained.

Forcing herself to stop out of self consciousness, Mia denied it. "No...not nerves...more like a distraction I suppose…" she stated, looking across the deck of the ship and beyond. The sound of gentle waves breaking against the ship filled the silence between the pair as they let the conversation drift away like a piece of wood in the open sea.

It felt weird to sit there on the deck of the ship amid the tranquility of the moment when it wasn't that long ago chaos and the sounds of battle rang out from monster attacks. "It's always like this, isn't it?" Mia commented, not bothering to look up at blonde boy glanced over to see her looking off into the distance, the calm look on her face and slightly swaying hair contrasting sharply with the mace sitting between her legs. It was the perfect analogy for their journey.

"What do you mean?" Isaac asked, trying to confirm what the Mercury adept was thinking.

Looking over to Isaac at last, Mia tucked some stray strands of hair behind her ear before replying. "It just seems so calm and peaceful right now…" Mia answered. "It never lasts though. We are constantly in conflict after conflict on this journey and it sometimes seems like these rare moments of relaxation are just a prelude to the next conflict we get involved in," she explained.

Isaac stayed silent instead of replying, but the reaction said more about his thoughts than words would. _He knows it too,_ Mia could tell. _The world has just been turned upside down recently. Nothing is the same as it was, and it seems like everything has changed to make life harder on people._

"It was especially difficult to see Kalay like that," Isaac finally said, recalling their reaction to Ivan's return home. "I think he's accepted the fact that it's been hit hard and there's not much we can do about it," Isaac explained. Mia looked over at the blonde boy again as Isaac stared off into the distance, wondering if he could find a reason for the madness among the waves. "I spoke to him about it," Isaac added, keeping Mia's attention despite the lack of eye contact. "There's nothing to be done except continue with our quest and put an end to all the madness. Ivan understands this and he seems even more motivated to end things quickly now," Isaac finished.

Sparing a glance in the Jupiter adept's direction, Mia was glad to know he was doing all right after the shock of seeing his home change so much. "Seeing that does make me wonder about Imil as well…" Mia said, voicing her thoughts aloud. "I mean...we aren't exactly a trade town or anything, but it does make me think about what changes might happen back home too," she added. Turning to Isaac, she asked the same question to him. "What about Vale? What kind of effect do you think all this will have there?"

Isaac just shook his head. "Vale is very traditional. They are generally slow to react to events so I doubt much will really change there," he answered.

The conversation was cut short by a cry from the other end of the ship. "Monsters on deck!"

Isaac and Mia sprung into action instantly, mace and sword in hand as the pair jumped up from their leisurely positions and ran towards the cry. Mia's grip on her new weapon was strong and confident after having successfully used the mace in live combat scenarios earlier on the trip.

Coming upon the scene on deck, Mia took in their foes. A couple of jellyfish monsters accompanied by a harpy were attacking the crew of the ship as the men desperately tried to defend themselves. The small tentacles of the jellyfish danced in the air, seeking to find an opening to attack the crew as the harpy flew past the distracted crewmen, slashing at them with its sharp talons.

Rushing in to save the men, Isaac succeeded in gaining the attention of the creatures by landing a slash directly onto one of the jellyfish. A sickening squishing sound accompanied the attack as Isaac's blade sank into the jellyfish, splattering water and blood across the deck from the wound.

It was a clean killing blow and the monster sank to the deck lifelessly in an expanding pool of fluids. Letting out a shriek, the Harpy flew toward Isaac, seeing him as the primary threat among the group after witnessing his retaliation.

The harpy was quickly stopped by a sizzling bolt of lightning that flashed past the adepts and struck one of the wings of the feathered creature, causing it to lose balance and fall towards the deck of the ship in pain thanks to Ivan's timely arrival.

Mia kept her attention on the remaining jellyfish, which had backed off from the crew and moved towards Isaac while he was distracted by the harpy. Not giving the monster a chance to strike, Mia raised her mace and judged the swing she would need to make to connect with the creature.

Waiting for the jellyfish to get near striking range of her companion, Mia brought her mace around with a loud thud and smacked the jellyfish with the blunt instrument. It was a strong hit, but the elasticity of the jellyfish's body allowed it to take the hit better than expected instead of being killed outright.

Another bolt of ionized energy flashed across the deck, accompanied by a shriek of pain from the harpy as the bolt scorched its uninjured wing, grounding the monster on the deck of the ship. Isaac and Garet rushed in to finish it off before it could recover.

The slippery floor was hard to gain traction on thanks to the downed jellyfish, and Mia had to move carefully toward the final enemy that was recovering from her previous attack. Getting an idea from the state of the deck, Mia stopped her advance and concentrated on her psynergy instead. Calling upon her powers, Mia concentrated on freezing up the jellyfish, taking advantage of the high concentration of water within the sea creature's body. As her spell continued to take effect, the monster writhed in pain and its movements became more jerky and slowed down.

A film of frost could be seen on the slimy skin of the foe as the jellyfish froze to death under Mia's relentless assault. The mercury adept deemed that she had done enough after the creature stopped moving, lying frozen on the deck.

Looking around to ensure things were safe, Mia let out a sigh at the latest attack. Some of the crew were already dealing with the corpse of the first jellyfish Isaac killed, unceremoniously dumping the body over the side of the boat and back into the sea.

"Miss Mia," The captain called out, as he approached her position on the deck. Assessing her condition to ensure she was okay before continuing, he spoke, "One of my crewmates was hit by the harpy. It doesn't look bad, but could you please take a look if you don't mind?"

Mia acknowledged the captain's request, knowing that they were impressed by her ability to save one of the crew members from poisoning on one of the prior attacks. As she made her way toward the injured man, she glanced back at her other companions, seeing them rid the deck of the harpy with the assistance of some of the other deckhands.

Identifying the injured crew member, Mia walked up to him as the others stepped aside to make room for her. Glancing at the scarf tied over the wound on the man's arm, she addressed him. "How is it?" Mia asked, trying to get a general idea of what she was dealing with.

Though worried about his arm, the man looked relieved at her presence. "Not too bad, I don't think," he replied, allowing Mia to untie the knot on the scarf so she could get a look at the injury.

 _He must have been one of the witnesses from earlier when I removed that poison,_ Mia judged based on the sailor's reaction. _That's good. That means he should be more trusting of me even though my methods of healing might be something he hasn't witnessed before today…_

Pulling the scarf back from the skin, Mia examined the wound. It wasn't too bad. The blood was very visible as it welled up from the loss of pressure, but the gash wasn't too deep and definitely didn't seem to hit anything vital.

"It looks like mostly a surface wound to me," Mia stated to reassure the man that he would be ok. "Just to be sure, go ahead and try to clench your hand into a fist for me okay?" she asked.

The injured man nodded and slowly formed a fist with his hand. The blood flow from the wound increased as he did so, but slowed up again as he relaxed his muscles and laid his hand out flat again.

"Very good. That motion confirms there's nothing seriously injured here, so just try to relax as I heal it up," Mia said to the man's visible relief.

Using the scarf that was tied to the man's arm to wipe away some of the blood so she could better see, Mia called upon her Mercury powers once again, this time to help mend the gash from the harpy. Placing her hand gently near the wound on the crew member's arm, Mia closed her eyes and let her power run into the wound.

The skin on the man started to close up and heal itself as she continued using her psynergy to mend the gash. Though she wasn't paying attention to the chatter that picked up as the crew saw the wound heal before their eyes, Mia could tell they were excited and amazed at the ability.

Completing her spell, Mia opened her eyes again and looked at the man she had healed who had a bewildered expression on his face.

"Just like that?" the man asked, inspecting his arm that looked as good as new.

"Just like that," Mia replied with a smile, confirmed she was done healing it.

"That's absolutely incredible," the sailor said. "Thank you."

Mia was glad to see that the sailors took her powers well and as a benefit instead of being afraid of them. "No problem," she replied. "Just take it bit easy with that arm for now and you should be fine," Mia stated.

Her words couldn't have come at a worse time as the ship suddenly lurched from a massive impact, almost throwing all the crew and Mia to the deck. Using the wall of the stairwell to steady herself after the tremor, Mia looked around alarmed as the crew shifted from relieved to worried and panicked.

"Is it another attack?" One of the sailors speculated glancing around for signs of a battle.

"That was too big an impact for an attack," another crew member replied.

"Did we run aground?" another one spoke up.

"We're in the middle of the sea though," someone else reasoned, trying to think logically.

Mia wasn't sure of what just happened, but it didn't take long for her to find out. Another massive impact sent a couple of crew members to the ground as she continued to hold onto the stairwell railing for support.

"MIA!" Isaac's voice rang out loud and clear after the last tremor. "Get up here! We're going to need you!" he yelled as Mia responded by letting go of the stairwell after the latest shake and ran up toward where Isaac and the other adepts were maintaining balance by holding onto handholds on the mast.

As she moved towards them, Mia stopped in her tracks, taking in the unbelievable sight in front of her. The left side of the ship was badly damaged, missing some pieces of railing and boards on the deck. As her gaze shifted to the three adepts huddled together, Mia could see genuine fear on the face of Isaac and the others, chilling her blood.

 _I've never seen this face before,_ Mia's mind raced. _Even against the Manticore, he was worried and determined...but not fearful... What could even cause this...?_

As if to answer her question, a massive tentacle appeared from behind the wreckage of the railing and lifted high into the air. Following Mia's gaze, Isaac glanced behind him to see the sight of the attack and yelled out. "Hit the deck!" the Venus adept screamed, abandoning his position at the mast as Garet and Ivan braced for impact, favoring running toward Mia in the last few seconds instead.

Reaching her just in time as the tentacle slammed into the side of the ship, Isaac tackled Mia to the ground and the impact caused them to slide toward the far end of the boat as it rocked in the water. The two adepts hit the wall at the edge of the boat with Isaac using his body to absorb most of the blow and protect Mia from injury.

Concerned, Mia immediately turned to check the blonde boy's condition, unsure of how harsh the impact was for him. Isaac picked himself off the wall with a groan, accepting Mia's aid as he got to his feet. Seeing nothing but the beginnings of a bruise, Mia nodded to herself, satisfied Isaac would not need any healing from the hit. "Thanks," she told him gratefully, as the pair tried to find their balance on the unsteady deck.

 _I could have easily gone over the edge of the ship without Isaac's assistance there,_ Mia recognized as adrenaline from the moment began pumping in her veins. She had no time for further appreciation as the sea monster took full advantage of their distraction to finish climbing onto the deck of the ship.

"It's….It's a Kraken!" one of the bewildered sailors cried out, unable to believe his own eyes. The massive monster towered over them with tentacles easily many times longer than a man's height. _A Kraken?_ Mia asked herself. _I thought they were just a myth...just an embellishment of sailor's stories to make them more dramatic…_

The unnerving stare of the Kraken was unsettling to Mia as panic filled the hearts of the sailors beholding the same sight. Tentacles that had already smashed up one side of the ship waved in the air, twitching back and forth as if daring anyone or anything to get in their way.

The tentacles were easy to track as they swayed back and forth, the pink and yellow complexion of the monster easily visible against the background of the deck and sea.

Mia heard a rasp of metal, seeing the boys drawing their swords to confront the threat. Surrounded by open water on all sides, she knew as well as they did that the only option was to fight.

Garet stepped forward to test the might of the Kraken first and was met with a tentacle whipping through the air toward him. Opting to take the blow head on, Garet managed to block, but was knocked backward across the deck in the process.

Water flew off the tip of the tentacle as it cut through the air, splashing Isaac and Mia as they looked on. Though the force behind the attack was stronger than anything the adepts had seen so far, it appeared to Mia that Garet was uninjured and just staggered by the blow.

"Don't...block…" Garet got out between deep breaths as he recovered from the strike. "Got it," he added as an afterthought.

Ivan pulled attention away from Garet by unleashing a torrent of lightning right at the Kraken, causing some of its tentacles to convulse from the electricity. The Kraken made an ungodly noise and retaliated with a tentacle that Ivan barely dodged away from. Unfortunately, Ivan's prior position by the mast caused the tentacle originally aimed for him to slam into the wooden shaft with a loud cracking noise.

Though the mast did not completely splinter, there was a visible fracture where the tentacle had hit it and the structural integrity of it was suspect at best. Isaac cursed when seeing the damage, knowing that any more force would topple the mast completely. Leaving Mia's side, Isaac rushed into the fray with his sword drawn in an attempt to save the ship.

"We need to lure it someplace safer!" Isaac yelled out to his companions, sinking the sharp edge of his blade into one of the tentacles with a slashing attack. The Kraken recoiled from the injury and angrily lashed out at Isaac with an uninjured tentacle.

Mia spared the blonde boy with a well timed shard of ice, sent at high speed to impale the tentacle whipping through the air and knock it off course. The sea monster recoiled again with a shrieking sound and thought better than to retaliate with its tentacle again.

As the adepts gained their footing once more, they defensively crept toward the bow of the ship to try to draw the Kraken towards them and away from the damaged mast. The Kraken had other plans for the group however and spewed a black substance at them, reminiscent of how a squid would shoot out ink.

Despite the comparison, Mia soon found out the thick, gaseous cloud was anything but ink as she was enveloped in it along with her friends. Her senses tingled from a strange sensation and sudden intuition told Mia she was walking the boundary between life and death.

It was strange to think about, but Mia could "see" her surroundings, even in the darkness. The gas formed into twisted, disturbing shapes as it swirled around her, rushing towards and past her in the gloom.

Mia's ears were assaulted with the wailing of thousands of lost souls, drowning endlessly in the darky depths, whispers of their last thoughts trapped in the breath of the entity responsible for their demise. She felt as if she was drowning with them too, suffocated by the misery and anguish of the dead.

As soon as the voices began to get more intense, they were gone, blown away by a wind dispersing the thick cloud of evil. Mia could see the light again and it nearly blinded her after being thrown into that unnatural darkness.

A shaken Ivan was channeling a whirlwind to rid the deck of the blackness, and Isaac and Garet had hardened expressions on their faces after the harrowing incident. Mia felt almost paralyzed by the experience, having trouble as she stiffly attempted to stand again, propping herself up with her mace.

 _What was that?_ Mia's mind raced to comprehend the experience she was never meant to have. _It's like the line between life and death became blurred…_

She didn't have the luxury of time to dwell on the otherworldly experience because the Kraken noticed that the adepts were still standing, although shakily.

The sea monster seemed confused by the situation, perplexed that it's breath of darkness had not been enough to completely incapacitate its prey. Almost unsure of its own actions, the Kraken once again sent a probing tentacle toward one of the adepts, lashing out at Garet, who was the closest.

The strike hit the redhead hard, knocking him to the deck again since he was not back to his senses enough to dodge. Mia forced her legs to move despite how heavy and weighed down they felt as she moved towards Garet to heal him after the blow.

Ivan stood winded after ending his spell, the effort of fighting through the cloud of darkness hitting him as he took a moment to recover. Isaac moved to cover Mia so she could take care of Garet's injuries. With a flash of psynergy, Isaac went on the offensive against the Kraken.

Mia reached Garet and quickly examined his injuries. There was a small wound on his arm where the tentacle hit him and some swelling and bruising from the impact was showing up as well. Swiftly calling upon her Mercury powers, Mia directed healing energy to the swelling with a light touch as Garet stayed still on the deck allowing her to work.

Pulling her hand away, satisfied that there would be no lasting damage, Mia worriedly looked over her shoulder back at the fight behind them where Isaac and Ivan were engaging the Kraken. "Thanks," Garet said simply as Mia helped him back to his feet, mind already refocused on the fight.

Acknowledging his appreciation with a nod, Mia saw the Kraken notice them. With two more adversaries to contend with, the sea monster did not look pleased and unleashed a torrent of water across the deck to separate itself from them. The force of the wave hit the group, shoving them backward once more. Though strong enough to delay their advance, the watery attack was unable to knock anyone down.

Repositioning to attack again, Mia met an oncoming tentacle with her mace, not trusting herself to move properly on the deck that was covered in water. Ivan slipped as he moved but quickly caught himself with his staff before falling down completely.

Flames roared to life in Garet's hands forming massive fireballs that he launched at the Kraken to retaliate. Though keeping their footing was harder on the slick floor, Isaac and Ivan both readied their blades and dashed into the fray.

Mia knew she was starting to feel exhaustion creeping into her as combat continued, but the adepts weren't the only one tiring out. _The exertion of fighting four adepts at once seemed to be getting to the Kraken as well,_ Mia noticed. _It seems that this thing is used to leisurely destroying ships at its own pace and has never really been tested before,_ she thought with a hint of a smile.

Garet followed up his attack by joining Ivan and Isaac in melee combat, flanking the creature so it could not use another breath attack to incapacitate all of them. Seeing that the three boys were fine, Mia elected to join the fray as well, shooting spears of ice into the eyes of the beast in an attempt to damage its vision before running up with the others.

Dodging out of the way of the tentacles seemed easier than before due to the sluggish movements of Kraken, but it was still difficult to do flawlessly. Isaac and Garet had to block the occasional whip with their swords, staggering them but not causing as much of an issue as before.

Mia swung her mace in a wide arc, smashing it into one of the tentacles that was aiming for Ivan and the Jupiter adept used the chance to back off and call on his psynergy again. The blonde boy glowed a purplish hue as his power built up before unleashing a stream of electricity directly at an open side of the Kraken's body.

The sea monster let out a guttural cry, instinctively flailing its tentacles around in and attempt to defend itself. Isaac, Garet, and Mia managed to dodge out of the way of the blows and used the opportunity to land a few more hits against the creature, putting it in a critical condition.

That's when things suddenly took a turn for the worse. The adepts were caught out of position and got punished for it as the Kraken landed a glancing blow on Garet, forcing him backward. Though not heavily injured, the Mars adept was winded and couldn't help as the Kraken unleashed bolts of green energy on Isaac before hitting the blonde boy directly with a tentacle.

Mia's heart skipped a beat at the site of Isaac slamming into the side of the ship and crumpling to the floor unconscious. _That looked like poison too!_ Her mind raced, torn between helping Isaac and finishing the fight with the Kraken. With Garet winded and out of the way Mia knew that helping Isaac left Ivan to fight the Kraken alone, something that she couldn't do. _Ivan could….Ivan could hold it off…._ She thought desperately, trying to come up with an excuse that would allow her to tend to Isaac faster.

Not reaching her desired conclusion, Mia steeled herself and tried to block the thought of Isaac out of her mind. _The only way to help him is to finish the Kraken._

With renewed energy, Mia called upon her psynergy again, praying that it would be enough to finish off their heavily injured foe. A brilliant glow surrounded her as her psynergy materialized in visible form before shaping into giant spears of ice. At Mia's command, the massive icicles launched toward the Kraken in the blink of an eye, impaling it and managing to knock it back to the edge of the ship.

The sea monster began to convulse, obviously close to death. Ivan took the opportunity to follow up on Mia's powerful attack and rushed in closer with his sword at the ready just in case, calling upon his lightning powers to pour a torrent of bolts into the gaping wounds left by the ice spears.

With the massive, exposed wounds, the thick outer skin of the Kraken could not protect it from the full fury of Ivan's assault. Electricity arced across the monster's body, but also penetrated directly into heart of the creature, causing it to collapse to the deck, finally lifeless.

There was no time for relief as Mia looked around at the wreckage of the ship. The mast had a massive crack running through it, ready to topple at any moment and the sides of the ship, especially near the sea monster had been destroyed, with holes in the deck where tentacles had shattered the thick wood.

Somehow the ship was still afloat however, and she was thankful for that as she saw Garet get to his feet and flash an "okay" symbol her way to indicate he would be fine. Turning her attention back to Isaac on the far side of the ship, Mia felt anxiety rise within her chest.

Running over to the blonde boy, she could tell something was seriously wrong by his shallow breathing and pale complexion. Remembering the green attack that hit Isaac before he was knocked away, Mia considered her options.

 _A toxin?_ She asked herself, calling upon her psynergy in an attempt to purge any traces of poison from Isaac's body. Mia couldn't really tell if her spell had any effect or not and the feeling of worry grew within her, clouding her mind from what she had to do as her fear tightened its grip.

"Let's move him inside," a voice said next to Mia, providing a brief respite from her oncoming thoughts. Looking over at the owner of the voice, Mia saw the ship's captain with an expression of concern on his face.

"We can use the captain's quarters. It should be easier to work there," he elaborated, prompting Mia to nod her okay to the suggestion.

"You two! Get over here and help," The captain called out to two of the crew standing nearby. At the captain's words, they quickly ran over and help him pick up Isaac and begin carrying the still unconscious adept toward the cabin.

Mia followed quickly behind, ready to get back to healing the blonde boy as soon as possible. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Garet and Ivan double checking that the Kraken was indeed dead, trusting Mia to take care of Isaac's injuries.

The captain and two crew members entered the cabin and laid Isaac on a bed in the captain's quarters before backing off to let Mia through. Immediately getting back to work, Mia placed a hand on the blonde boy's chest and called upon another healing spell to help stabilize his vitals.

The two crew members scampered off to help with the rest of the ship and the captain walked out as well with a few last words to tell Mia. "I'll make sure nobody bothers you," he told her before closing the door behind him and allowing Mia's focus to fully return to Isaac.

"Focus," Mia whispered under her breath as she looked over the blonde boy once more. The Mercury adept pushed her fear and anxiety away, locking it away in a dark corner of her mind, knowing she could not afford any distractions.

Checking Isaac's vital signs, Mia grabbed his hand and felt for a pulse while simultaneously resting her head against his chest to monitor his heartbeat and breathing. What she heard she didn't like.

Isaac's heartbeat fluttered as if it was struggling to beat and his breaths were short and ragged. Calling upon her strongest psynergy, Mia used another healing spell, surrounding the two of them in a cerulean glow as the energy she used poured into Isaac.

This time she saw some improvement as Isaac's breaths evened out and his heartbeat began to beat more regularly. _I can do this,_ Mia told herself, relieved to see some effect at least, even if the ordeal was far from over.

Next came the toxins still running through Isaac's body. Mia knew that despite some success at stabilizing the boy, his condition would only deteriorate again as the toxins continued to take control. Unfortunately, Mia knew she had already tried one of her spells to deal with the poison, and it hadn't worked quite as well as she would have liked.

Sweat was forming in small beads on Isaac's forehead as his body attempted to fight off the lingering effects of the attack. Mia raised a hand and gently held it to his head to feel his temperature. _He's burning up!_ Mia noted, quickly conjuring a small amount of ice to place on Isaac to cool him down a bit.

 _I have to find the source of the poison and do something about it,_ Mia knew. Removing Isaac's shirt, Mia found two gashes in Isaac's abdomen where the poison bolt attack had hit him. Without any time to feel embarrassment from noticing how well built Isaac was, Mia closed her eyes to concentrate and brought her hand to one of the gashes. Trying to feel the presence of the toxins, Mia let her consciousness meld with her psynergy to better detect what was wrong with her fellow adept.

The poison coursing through Isaac hit Mia like a brick wall, shocking her senses with the intensity of the toxin. With a gasp, Mia let the spell go. _That explains why my cleansing spell didn't help,_ Mia mused silently, trying to determine what to do. Utilizing another healing spell for good measure, she leaned forward and rested her head in her hand, propped upright by her arm on the bed.

 _Think….Think!_ Mia told herself, wracking her brain for any possible solution to the situation. _Herbs won't work...this toxin is far beyond anything I can do with those and besides...even my psynergy is having little to no impact…_ Mia could feel the dark recesses of her mind beginning to expand, the feelings of fear and death that she had tucked away, itching to escape and control her emotions.

 _I have to try something...something different than before…_ Mia drew upon her psynergy in another futile effort to cleanse the poison that was slowly killing Isaac. _What if...What if I tried to draw the poison out and dilute it instead of eliminate it altogether?_ She asked herself. _If I could do that then maybe it would be enough to help him survive…_

Mia sat up again and opened her eyes to look at her friend in front of her. Pulling the toxins out of someone wasn't something she had ever tried before, but she knew there were stories of Mercury Clan members being able to do something similar in the past.

 _Well, I may as well try…_ Mia concluded, trying to determine how she would pull it off. Calling on her psynergy, Mia began to form the spell she wanted to cast. It was an experimental thing, and she kept her mind firmly on the objective in order to ignore the potential consequences of failure.

As the spell began to take shape in Mia's mind, she once again placed her hand over the wounds from where the toxins entered Isaac's body. Releasing her psynergy, Mia could feel the poison attracted to the spell. As the psynergy she had crafted began to take effect, Mia could feel the pain Isaac was going through and grit her teeth as she forced herself to continue the spell.

Eventually breaking it off, Mia withdrew her hand and noted that there was a burning sensation and she could still feel the lingering pain from her connection with the blonde boy. Breathing heavily from the taxing effects of her psynergy, Mia wiped away the cold sweat the had broken out on her forehead.

Chalking it up to the exertion of her newly created spell, Mia ignored the symptoms and checked again on Isaac's condition. This time, she was half surprised and half relieved to find his breathing much more steady with none of the irregularity to his heartbeat or pulse that she was concerned about earlier.

Despite it all, Mia frowned. _He's still not regaining consciousness though,_ she thought. _I know my spell is probably imperfect...but it definitely did something at least. Maybe if I continue to use it, I can bring him back?_

Following her line of reasoning, Mia again glanced at her patient and decided to give it another shot. Calling upon her powers once more, Mia tried to improve her spell to be more effective than the last one. Confident that she at least held some control over Isaac's overall fate, Mia once again attempted to draw the poison away from Isaac's body.

This time the Mercury adept felt the burning sensation in her hand more intensely and the pain made her mind reel as she continued to heal Issac. Determined, Mia kept herself going, ignoring the agony she felt as she drew the toxins out of Isaac's body.

At last, unable to take any more, Mia pulled away, dizzy with pain. It was in that state that she finally realized that she had misunderstood the nature of the psynergy she had come up with. _It definitely pulls the poison out of Isaac...but it does it by drawing it into my own body!_ Mia understood. _It dilutes the toxin...separates it into smaller doses and relies on the body's natural defenses to fight off what remains…_

Mia cast another quick spell to check her theory and sure enough, could feel the poison in her own body as she tried to fight it off. With the lower concentration of poison in both adepts, Mia called upon a cleansing spell in an attempt to purge the less potent effects from herself. _At least this way we can both survive this though..._ Mia thought as she continued to work, accepting the effects of the poison as her own in order to save Isaac.

Though it seemed to help, and the pain subsided as she did so, it was still unable to completely remove the side effects. The dizziness remained and in the absence of the intense pain she was previously drawing in, Mia could feel her exhaustion catching up with her after both the fight with the Kraken and her efforts to heal the leader of their party.

Still refusing to give in, Mia turned once again back to Isaac and began attempts to cleanse the lessened poison from him as well, purging the toxins and reducing the blonde boy's pain. As she did so, she could feel Isaac's life force strengthening and finally let a small dose of relief out of the cage in her mind.

 _I can still do this..._ Mia thought to herself, fatigued, but hopeful. Using her remaining psynergy, Mia once again placed her hands on Isaac and healed his wound, slowly sealing it up to prevent any complications from infection.

Her efforts had been successful and Mia was rewarded when Isaac stirred from his unconscious state, opening his eyes slowly to his surroundings. In that moment all the negative thoughts and emotions Mia had bottled up vanished, but a fleeting memory in her mind.

"Thank goodness…" Mia was barely able to say as Isaac's eyes caught her own, attempting to make sense of the new situation he was in.

"Mia…" Isaac stated, still delirious from his injuries and the effects of his body attempting to fight the remaining poison within.

Hearing the blonde boy speak caused the adrenaline rush keeping Mia going to dissipate as a flood of emotion she was holding back finally caught up with her.

"Issac...I thought I…..the poison..." Mia could feel herself tearing up slightly, unable to maintain her composure any longer as she attempted to to voice her concerns.

Fortunately it seemed like Isaac understood what she was saying as he responded in kind. "Thank you Mia," he said simply, wincing as he tried to sit up and felt the pain in his abdomen. Deciding against it, Isaac lay there while Mia dried her eyes out, not having noticed the attempt to move.

Mia became conscious of the fact she was clutching Isaac's hand in her own, and felt a flush in her face, but elected to ignore that particular situation. Right now she just wanted to be with him, to know he was there, no matter what.

 _He's going to be okay,_ Mia knew as she flashed Isaac a smile even while her eyes drooped from exhaustion. Isaac's expression became more concerned as he looked on, wondering if she had pushed herself too hard.

"Mia?" Isaac asked inquisitively, jerking the cerulean haired girl out of the stupor that was overtaking her. "Are you okay?" he asked, seeing if he could get a reply.

Squeezing her eyes and shaking her head in an attempt to not collapse, Mia answered. "I...I'm just exhausted…" she told Isaac, giving him the truth but neglecting to mention the way she had dealt with most of the poison within him. _He will only worry if I bring that up now…_ Mia mused ceeding her mind to the comforting embrace of sleep as she leaned forward from where she was sitting at Isaac's side.

Surprised to see Mia's head come to rest on his shoulder, Isaac didn't know how to react. Her steady, even breathing indicated that she was indeed tired beyond words and was finally succumbing to the events of the past couple hours.

As her cerulean hair spilled out across the bed and his shoulder, Isaac froze from surprise, but then smiled at the girl next to him. "You always give it your all don't you," he whispered to Mia's sleeping form, appreciative of the effort she had put in to keep him alive.

Hesitating for a moment, Isaac shifted himself slightly to move his arm around the sleeping Mercury adept that had collapsed on top of him, gently holding her in place as she continued to doze off, a smile gracing his face.

Despite the pain and the obviously worn down state of his own body trying to fight off the remnants of the poison Mia worked so hard to cure, Isaac felt content and comforted by having the Mercury adept at his side.


	8. A Night In Tolbi

**Chapter 8: A Night In Tolbi**

Mia opened her eyes to a dimly lit room she didn't recognize. White marble walls greeted the adept, reflecting light from the setting sun outside a window nearby. Mia was surprised to find herself feeling soft and relaxed despite her unfamiliar surroundings, and realized she was lying on a bed.

 _How did I get here?_ Her mind wondered, still groggy from sleep. _The Kraken...Isaac…_ Mia remembered snippets of what had happened as she began to get more awareness of her surroundings. _Ah...We must have made it to town then,_ she realized.

Turning her head gently to take in more of what was around her, Mia saw the sight she was hoping for. A relieved looking Venus adept was sitting in a chair by her bedside, glad to see she was okay.

"Mia!" Isaac exclaimed. "Thank goodness you're all right...I was worried about you after you collapsed on the ship," he explained.

Mia sat up in the bed. "I'm glad to see that you're doing better as well," she replied in reference to the poison she had mostly cleansed from him. Looking around at her surroundings, Mia felt a question on her lips, however Isaac answered it before she could voice her thoughts.

"We're in Tolbi," Isaac stated. "Actually, more accurately we're in the palace in Tolbi," he added.

 _Ah...that's why this room looks so...decorative...compared to most places,_ Mia realized. _But the palace? Why would we be there?_ Again, Mia turned to Isaac to ask another question and the blonde boy answered without hesitation.

"It's a long story," Isaac told her with a kind smile, knowing what she was about to say. "You missed a lot while you were out. You must have been exhausted."

"Yes...exhausted," Mia replied quickly, glancing away from Isaac and down at the bedsheets still partially covering her, an instinctive reaction to her misleading confirmation. _Now is not the time to explain how I actually healed him,_ she knew. _He would only worry about me needlessly instead of himself and his own recovery._

Gently helping Mia lay back down, Isaac smiled, once again showing his mood was improved now that she had awoken. "Rest up," he told the cerulean haired girl. "I'm glad to see you well," Isaac added again.

Mia allowed the blonde boy to fret over her and laid back to relax, even though she knew she was fine. _The truth is, the idea of Isaac worrying about me makes my happy,_ Mia knew. _I don't actually mind it at all…_

With a slight blush at her own thoughts, Mia shifted herself so she could see Isaac clearly and hear what had transpired during her brief respite. Isaac glanced across the room briefly to break eye contact with Mia before starting to talk about what had happened recently.

"The ship was pretty damaged, but fortunately still in workable condition and we were already pretty close to Tolbi when that attack from the Kraken happened," Isaac explained. "The crew managed to bring us in to dock and we were trying to figure out what to do since you were still out completely."

Isaac sighed. "This next part is how we ended up here, but it was all pretty strange...Basically, we got approached by a lot of guards to see what happened to the ship and after hearing the story of how we fought off the Kraken, they took us to the palace to get medical treatment for you, and they also wanted us to meet with the man in charge of the city since we had killed the Kraken."

 _I must have missed more than I thought…_ Mia realized as she tried to absorb all the information Isaac was giving her. "I see a lot has been going on," she stated aloud with a humorous tone.

"The thing is...that's not all," Isaac added. "We ended up meeting with the leader of the city...his name is Babi...and he knows all about psynergy."

"Wait..what?" Mia replied, surprised to hear they had run into someone else who also knew about the power of psynergy. "Is he an adept then?" she asked.

"We aren't quite sure…" Isaac answered, unable to be any clearer on who exactly he was. "He definitely knows about it and could see it as well when we showed him that we do in fact have the ability to use it." Isaac shook his head. "Because of that, he requested that one of us compete in the Colosso tournament the city is holding so that he could see our powers firsthand…"

 _Compete in Colosso?_ Mia asked herself. _On such short notice too...but why does this Babi want to see our psynergy?_ Mia closed her eyes, wondering if she was dreaming and if all Isaac hadjust revealed was actually in her head. Opening them again to see the same scene with Isaac watching her reaction, Mia just shook her head incredulously. "What a turn of events…" she said to Isaac. "I really did miss more than I thought…"

Isaac shook his head as well. "More than that, he even designated me as the person to fight. Apparently they asked the sailors who the leader of our group was since we defeated the Kraken…"

At that news, Mia sit up quickly in surprise again. "Isaac you can't!" she stated. "You were badly hurt by the Kraken and haven't even recovered yet...what are they thinking?"

Isaac flinched a bit at Mia's reaction to the news but decided it would be best to be quiet for the moment and let Mia continue to speak.

Mia glanced into Isaac's eyes to try to read his thoughts about everything and let out a sigh. "Oh no...don't tell me you actually agreed to all this," Mia said, watching Isaac's response carefully.

The blonde boy shrugged and glanced away just long enough for Mia to get her answer. "You did! Oh Mercury, you actually agreed...even after just being critically injured earlier today!"

 _Isaac you idiot,_ Mia wanted to say, but she couldn't put her voice to it. _He has no idea how close he was to dying earlier…_

"Mia, I-" Isaac tried to get out an explanation, but Mia was having none of it.

"No, Isaac...what are you thinking?!" Mia exclaimed. "You're in no condition to be fighting again so soon...especially alone! You were not doing well after that Kraken fight and still need to recover," she added.

"I know Mia," Isaac said, reaching out his hand and placing it over the top of Mia's as a gesture to try to calm the girl. "I know you took care of me after the fight and helped me recover," Isaac said. "The thing is, they specifically requested me for whatever reason and they did help us out a lot by providing us all a place to stay here as well as medical attention for you," the blonde boy added.

Isaac's touch worked, and Mia could feel the emotion in herself starting to simmer down a bit, even if only because his ability to calm her down was unparalleled.

Mia glanced around at the room again. "I'm grateful for that, but why does that mean you should have to fight when you're still recovering from your injuries?" she asked.

Isaac lowered his head a bit to acknowledge that she was probably right about how he shouldn't be fighting. "It's just doing a favor for the people that offered up a place to stay as well as provided aid for you as well," he re-stated. "In addition to that, Babi also said that he can provide help for our quest in exchange for another favor should we prove we're capable enough with psynergy."

Mia raised her eyebrow slightly in surprise. "What do you mean?" she asked. "What kind of help?" Everything was becoming a bit much for the Mercury adept to process and she brought a hand up to run it through her hair while waiting for Isaac to explain further.

Isaac let out a small sigh of relief, glad to see Mia had calmed down somewhat. "It's a ship I'm pretty sure," he replied. "Babi was talking about an island on the ocean that he needed to find and said that he had a ship that we could use to help him with that." Mia looked ready to speak again, but Isaac quickly explained the rest of the point before she had a chance. "He knows we're chasing after Saturos and Menardi and said that we could use the ship to help us do that as long as we could check a spot in the sea for him where he believes that island to be."

Mia was perplexed by the idea. _That doesn't actually sound like such a bad trade and it would give use a much easier way of getting around to chase down the others...but why us?_

"Why wouldn't he just send a crew out on the ship to find the island he's looking for?" Mia asked, still trying to see how all the pieces fit together.

Isaac gave a knowing smile, expecting the question. "That's because it's a ship powered by psynergy," he said simply.

With an imaginary click, the puzzle was solved and Mia finally understood what was happening. "I see…" she stated, glancing at Isaac. "So that means that he heard about our powers because of the Kraken, wants you to fight in Colosso to see if you really do posses the power of psynergy, and then allow us to use his ship that can only be piloted by adepts in order to find an island that he doesn't know exists that is somewhere in the open sea, while also trying to keep up with Saturos and Menardi to stop the lighthouses form being lit."

"I...uh...yeah, that pretty much sums it up," Isaac said.

Mia shook her head and laid back down on the bed. "It's a bit crazy to just wake up and hear all that, but it actually does make some sense...surprisingly." She sighed. "Though, for the record, I still don't think it's a good idea for you to be fighting so soon after recovering from the Kraken," Mia added, giving Isaac a smile to let him know she was going to stop bringing it up for the time being.

Isaac nodded at her. "Glad to have you back," he said, knowing Mia was okay based on her reaction to all the news.

The blonde boy looked relieved at Mia's understanding of the situation, and Mia smiled to herself. _Maybe I was a bit hard on him about everything…_ she mused.

"Are you hungry?" Isaac asked, breaking past Mia's thoughts and catching her attention.

Isaac was looking at her curiously. _No doubt he's concerned since I haven't been awake to eat anything since the morning._ Mia flashed a quick smile Isaac's way. "I'll be okay, thanks," she said. "I think I'm still a bit tired so I want to rest up a little bit," Mia added.

"Okay," Isaac replied simply. "Garet and Ivan were getting some food...so now that I know you're okay, I'm going to go eat as well," Isaac said, voicing his intentions almost as if he was seeking Mia's approval.

The Mercury adept just nodded. "Especially considering you're fighting tomorrow, you definitely need to eat up and regain your strength," she told Isaac.

The blonde boy smiled at Mia. "If you feel up to joining us, we'll be just down the hall to the right," he stated. "If you aren't up to it, I'll bring some food back for you so you can eat before bed," Isaac added.

 _He's always so thoughtful!_ Mia's mind said as she took another glance at the Venus adept near her bedside. "Thank you Isaac," she said with a smile as she felt a slight squeeze of her hand before Isaac let go and went to leave to go eat.

As the door closed behind Isaac, Mia let herself relax more, her head falling back onto the pillow behind her as she shut her eyes. Visions of Isaac began to play in her head as her thoughts dwelled on him. Clenching her hands together briefly before bringing them up to cup her cheeks in embarrassment, Mia considered how relaxing Isaac's touch was. _I didn't even notice he was still holding onto my hand!_ She recognized, feeling a blush spreading out from her cheeks.

 _I like having him here...having him around...there's just something about him that draws me in...and makes me happy…_ Mia admitted to herself. _He was watching over me,_ she thought happily, clutching a closed fist against her chest as her heartbeat quickened slightly.

A feeling Mia couldn't fully grasp began stirring inside of her, starting from her chest and seeming to spread outward ever so slowly. The sensation was weird and foreign to her, yet still felt familiar somehow, as if she had felt it before, but never truly knew what it was.

Slowing her breathing, Mia tried to remain calm in the face of the strange sensation, not quite sure what to make of its presence. _The poison?_ She wondered, as Mia moved her other hand to the sheets on the bed, gripping onto them tightly as if they were an anchor for her consciousness.

As her prior thoughts began to fade from her mind, replaced by worries that the venom from her healing of Isaac was still affecting her, the feeling began to fade again, just causing more confusion in Mia's mind.

The cerulean haired girl called upon her psynergy anyway, using it to check for any trace of poisoning that still remained, but found no trace despite her best efforts. _It's not the poison after all..._ Mia recognized, unsure what to make of the fleeting feeling that had affected her.

 _It was so...raw...untamed…_ Mia thought, trying to make sense of things to herself. _It was a strong feeling, something that I just know I've felt before! ... But for some reason, I can't seem to find the cause…_

With a sigh, Mia opened her eyes to look up at the lavishly decorated ceiling above her. The fleeting feeling had all but vanished and she knew it was futile to dwell on it now. _Still, it was strange that it came and went that quickly,_ Mia mused, tracing the patterns on the ceiling with her mind as a distraction.

 _I can't believe all the things that have happened so far,_ Mia thought, amused by all the different places the band of adepts had visited. _From wooden ceilings to intricately decorated ones...and even our own tents on the side of the road...I feel like I've seen so many new places and a wide range of what the world has to offer._

 _Each day promises to bring interesting new experiences...as well as hurdles to overcome,_ Mia knew. _Of course there are times where I am afraid, worried about my companions, or unsure of how to proceed...scared of how the world around us continues to change in response to the disruption of elemental balance…_

 _But...there are the days where despite everything, the journey is still fun, with enjoyment just around the corner._ Mia's mind settled on her companions, happy to be undertaking this quest with them. _My friends are always there for me. They are people I can rely on and trust to have my back._

 _The good times...the bad times...all of it is what makes up this journey we're on. Each experience...each new place, just a piece of the puzzle that combines to make a whole._ Mia smiled to herself while lying in the unfamiliar bed of yet another city. _How will this one fit into the grand scheme of things?_ She wondered, unsure as always about where their path would lead, especially after all the information Isaac had just told her.

Another question entered Mia's mind, a natural result of her brooding on the subject: _Would I do it again?_ The answer would not normally be an easy one, but for the Mercury adept, she had her mind made up even as the question entered her mind for the first time.

 _Yes._

 _Despite all the ups and downs...the hardships...adjusting to unfamiliar surroundings and situations...It's all worth it in the end. To protect the lighthouses with my friends by my side...I would have it no other way,_ Mia decided.

It was a serious thing to think about, and a question Mia could not take lightly, but the conviction in her mind that this was the right path was unwavering. _There have been plenty of close calls for us before,_ Mia knew, thinking back to the recent battle with the Kraken on the ship. _There will likely be many more in the future too...but if we can overcome those hardships and fulfill our promise to protect the world, it will all be worth it in the end. To create a world in which everyone can live peacefully...this is why we endure everything in our path and work towards a better tomorrow._

The realization Mia made about her motivation for the quest, and belief in it, was not as much of a revelation as she had thought it would be.

Mia understood where she draw a lot of her strength from. _I may have joined this group out of a desire to make up for my failings in protecting the Mercury Lighthouse...but somewhere along the way my priorities shifted…_ Mia rolled over in bed so that she was on her side in order to get a better look at some of the room around her. _This journey isn't something that was just about me or my failings...It never was. This journey is now about saving what's precious to me...my friends, Imil, everyone back home...even this room around me that I've never seen before._

Mia continued to look around the room she was in, taking in all the sights she could. The lamp by her bedside providing candlelight to the room, to the upturned corner of a carpet on the floor, disturbed by the passing of another person, everything had a sense of importance to Mia that it might not have had before her journey began.

 _People everywhere are just trying to live their lives...from grand cities like this to small mining towns in the mountains. Everyone is out there doing their best to live and adapt as the world around us changes. I think the preservation of that is what makes this journey truly worth it._

Mia continued to lay there, just thinking about events that had occurred as well as those still to come. It was not strange for her to know that her reasons for continuing her travels had shifted. In fact, it all made sense in her mind. The subject was a serious one, and one she had discussed with Isaac on occasions in the past, generally in the form of various phenomenon indicating the changing of the world as a whole.

Mia was forced to admit that their conclusions on the matter were sometimes less than satisfactory, but took comfort in the fact they were not alone in their observations. _What heavy thoughts for a 'recovering' adept,_ Mia thought wryly. Taking the chance to sit up, she did her best to pull her mind away from their journey, as there was not much use to brooding on the purpose of it in the present moment.

"Perhaps I should join the others for some dinner," Mia said aloud to herself as her stomach rumbled in agreement at the thought of food. Almost laughing at the perfect timing of her statement, Mia decided she should do just that. _It would be nice to have the company of my companions to prevent me from dwelling on these kinds of thoughts for too long,_ she felt.

Though Mia knew she was perfectly fine after recovering from the ordeal of healing Isaac, the cerulean haired girl still exercised caution getting out of bed as a force of habit from prior injuries. Standing on the soft carpet placed over the marble floor, she could feel the sense of luxury as a physical sensation on her feet.

For the first time, Mia noticed a small basket off to the side of the bed containing her robes, fully cleaned despite everything that had happened on the ship with the Kraken. She hesitated for a moment as she looked at them, realizing she was wearing a different set of clothes than she was used to, likely provided by the palace after bringing her in from the ship.

 _When did they change those out though?_ Mia asked herself, walking over to her robes and running a hand over the spotless garments. _I assume if they did a medical examination…_ The logical conclusion jumped into her mind first, after all that's what she would do if a recovering patient was unconscious and could not continue wearing waterlogged and bloodstained clothing.

 _Isaac though…_ The irrational half of her head butted in. _He was here watching over me...I wonder…_ Mia shook her head to try to rid herself of the thoughts creeping into her mind as her face flushed red in embarrassment that she would even entertain that thought.

 _No._ Mia told herself. _That's not like Isaac...knowing him, he let the healers here tend to me despite his concern._ Having successfully pushed her thoughts on the matter into the back of her mind, all that remained was a slight sense of surprise. Mia found that while the idea was embarrassing to the extreme, she didn't really seem to mind that much and it was accompanied by a vague feeling of excitement, something that seemed out of place for the situation.

Now curious about the robe she had on instead of her usual Imilian garments, Mia looked around the room again, locating a mirror on the far wall, opposite of her bed. Walking over to it, she looked at herself in the mirror, getting a glimpse of what she was wearing thanks to the hospitality of Tolbi.

The robe was of simple design, obviously made for everyday wear and likely one of the common styles of clothing in the area. It was somewhat more form fitting than the heavy Imilian robes she normally wore, but Mia attributed that to the fact it was thinner, made for a warmer climate than her hometown. _It will do for the time being,_ she decided. _No reason to refuse the hospitality of this city I haven't seen yet when they've already taken such good care of us._

Mia smiled and walked over to her personal belongings, reaching out to grab her mace, but hesitated as her fingers touched the cool steel. _It might be taken as an insult if I walked around with a weapon here,_ she thought and she realized she didn't know the culture, or really anything about the people that lived here. _Plus, if they had any ill will towards me they already had plenty of chances for that when I was still out._

Leaving the weapon laying next to her other belongings, Mia walked over to the door of the room and opened it, revealing a hallway every bit as impressive as her room. A long, deep red colored carpet lined the center of the walkway, illuminated by lanterns hung from the walls and chandeliers dangling from the vaulted ceilings. There was money here, that much was clear.

Stepping out into the hallway, Mia shut the door behind her. _Isaac said they were just down this hall,_ she remembered.

"Can I help you miss?" Someone said from nearby. Jumping slightly at the unexpected encounter, Mia turned to see what looked like a guard walking down the hall toward her.

"Oh!" She exclaimed in surprise. "Sorry, you startled me," she gave in way of an explanation. "I was just not sure exactly where I am…"

The guard stopped an arm's reach away from Mia. "Sorry about that," the guard chuckled, lightening the mood a bit. "You're one of those visitors that fought the sea monster aren't you?" the man asked, finally getting a better look at the Mercury adept. "I had heard you all were staying with us and one of you is even fighting in colosso tomorrow!" the guard said, some excitement creeping into his voice.

"Ah...yes, apparently so," Mia said, relaxing as she realized there was no danger and the man was just patrolling the palace to keep it safe.

"I knew it!" the guard added, but he composed himself again, obviously torn between curiosity over the group that killed a Kraken and his duty to the palace. "Sorry about that though," he said. "Did you need help finding something? You seemed a bit confused there," the man added.

"No problem at all," Mia replied, not put off at all by the guard's friendly demeanor. "I was actually going to look for my friends who said they were going to get some food...I think they mentioned they would just be down the hall…"

"Ah. They should just be down that hallway to the right," the guard answered, pointing back where he had just come from. "I think I saw a few other colosso entrants there as well," he added.

"Thanks," Mia replied with a smile, glancing down the indicated hallway.

"Good luck to your friend tomorrow," the guard said with a wink and short wave of his hand before turning to continue patrolling down the hallway past Mia.

Mia followed the path before her and the sounds of voices got louder before she rounded the corner. To her surprise, there was an entire setup of food lining the great hall as she entered the room, almost immediately spotting Isaac, Garet, and Ivan as she walked in. Nobody really seemed to notice her, as the other attendees were busy reveling in the food and excitement of the upcoming Colosso event.

The three boys noticed her as she reached them, making room for her around a table they were all three sitting at.

"Hey Mia," Garet piped up, greeting her warmly.

"Feeling better already?" Ivan asked, happy to see the cerulean haired adept up and about.

Isaac just smiled and nodded at Mia as she joined the adepts, having spoken to her not too long ago.

"Hey guys," Mia replied, addressing all of them with a weary smile. "I'm doing a lot better after sleeping things off," she answered in reply to Ivan's question.

"Good to hear!" Garet exclaimed, reaching to his plate for some more food. Pointing a utensil towards Mia briefly as he finished chewing, he kept everyone's attention. "Great job healing Isaac you know," he said for everyone at the table, making sure Mia knew she was appreciated for her role in the group.

Mia smiled, glad to see the Mars adept was as aloof as ever, knowing how serious he was being, but appreciating the lighthearted way of getting his point across. "Thanks," she said humbly. "I was just glad it was enough."

Isaac gave her an appreciative smile as Ivan chimed in to clarify what had happened. "You must have been exhausted after that to have fallen unconscious and then asleep for that long," the Jupiter adept stated.

To Mia it seemed the younger blonde boy had noticed something beyond mere exhaustion. _Does he know the truth?_ She wondered, dwelling on Ivan's impeccable insight. _It's not like I'm trying to keep the spell a secret necessarily...but I'd rather not having Isaac worry about me more than needed until I'm fully recovered myself…_

Putting on a quick smile, she again misled her friends with a half truth. "I'm definitely tired," Mia said in reply to Ivan's comment. "I'll probably go back to sleep soon and rest up," Mia added, tension hanging in the air as she waited to see if Ivan would press the issue.

He didn't. The Jupiter adept nodded, and Mia was granted relief as Isaac spoke up. "Let's get you some food Mia," he stated, smiling at the cerulean haired girl next to him. "Apparently this is a customary feast for the Colosso contestants and the people they brought with them the night before the event. They insisted we take part," Isaac explained with a bit of a laugh.

Mia stood up again and looked over toward the tables piled with food for the taking. Walking over and grabbing a plate, she marveled at the vast assortment of food available. The offering appeared in stark contrast to their usual fare at an inn or on the road, containing rich pastries, exotic fruits, meats found in markets across the land, and delicacies of many kinds.

As she continued to look over the food and pick out a few things she wanted to try, a familiar dish caught Mia's eye. _Is that….Lumfish?_ She wondered. _It is! They're even using the traditional Imilan sauce._

Reminded of home, Mia took a helping of the fish for herself. Back in Imil lumfish was considered a delicacy due to their declining population in the cold ocean waters. Getting their name from the luminescence given off from lumfish schools, they were a staple of Imilan food for centuries until overfishing affected the natural availability of the fish and turned it into a rare treat.

Happy with her choices, a smiling Mia made her way back to her companions and took a seat again. Cutting out a small piece of fish to try, Mia paused in delight by the excellent, and authentic, taste. _Cooked to perfection!_ Mia thought, happy by the little taste of home.

"Is that enough food for you?" Garet asked, looking over at Mia's plate where the small piece of fish lay alongside fruit from the mountain ranges of eastern Angara, spiced meat from northern Gondowan, and a pastry that appeared to be a local specialty.

Mia nodded, still savoring the flavor of the lumfish. "It all looks very rich and filling," she replied, glancing around to check out the assortment of food her companions had tried. Though everyone selected slightly different fare, one thing was in common among it all. The quality and preparation was second to none. "It should be plenty," Mia added to her observation as she tried one of the other dishes she picked out.

"But it all tastes so good…" Garet argued, wanting to try a little bit of everything he could get his hands on.

Isaac laughed. "You're going to feel sick if you eat too much," he reminded the fiery redhead.

"I know! That's what's so sad!" Garet exclaimed. "We haven't had many opportunities for a good meal since we began this whole journey and there's no way I'd pass this up."

Ivan nodded his agreement. "I'm with Garet on this one...the food is definitely top-notch," he said.

Isaac shrugged and looked over at Mia. "You seem to be enjoying yours quite a bit as well," he observed, picking at his own food at the same time.

Mia paused her eating for a moment to reply with a bit of humor. "Let's just say I'm glad I didn't miss out on this," she replied, thoroughly enjoying herself. "Do you not like yours?" she asked, noticing Isaac wasn't really eating all that much either.

Isaac smiled to reassure her. "No, I am most definitely impressed by the food...I just have to remember I'm going to be fighting in Colosso tomorrow and I probably shouldn't stuff myself too much," he reasoned.

Mia stopped smiling as she was reminded about Isaac's entry into the event. _I still don't like the idea of any of it...even if it's going to help us out immensely in our quest._ Mia picked at the rest of the food on her plate, still enjoying the savory tastes, but distracted by her concerns again.

Fortunately Isaac, Garet, and Ivan didn't seem to pick up on her shift in mood as the conversation turned to the tournament and speculation on the other contestants. Glancing around the room it was easy to tell who else was an actual participant.

 _It seems like a show of strength mostly,_ Mia observed, seeing heavily muscled men at some of the other tables, laughing and joking with friends and family. Glancing back at Isaac, she couldn't hold back a smile. _I'm not sure why I'm so worried about all this. Isaac will be fine...it's just for show and besides...he can use psynergy._ Mia knew that simple fact alone should be enough to make her confidant, but for a reason she couldn't put her finger on, Mia's could still feel worry in her heart.

Garet finally finished off the rest of his food and lay back in his chair with a contented sigh, drawing the attention of the rest of the group. "Well, I'm stuffed," he said, a fact already obvious to the rest of the adepts.

Ivan shook his head at his friend. "I feel like you always do this…" he sighed at Garet.

"Hey!" Garet replied, mildly offended. "Live life in the moment my friend," he said, waving away Ivan's comment with his hand. "It's not every day you get to eat this well on our journey," the Mars adept added.

Ivan had to admit Garet was right. "True enough. Point taken," he answered.

"Well with that established, I'm probably going to pass out soon enough as well. We don't get enough sleep on this trip either you know?" Garet said, addressing Isaac with the second half of his comment.

Isaac just shrugged, playing along despite knowing Garet wasn't seriously complaining about it. "I guess when it comes down it it, you were the first to grab one of those elemental stars….so I'd say you put yourself in that situation," the blonde boy retorted.

Ivan snorted with sudden laughter, unable to hold it back. "Yeah, Isaac's really got you there Garet," he said in between breaths.

Garet stood up suddenly, hitting his fists against the table somewhat loudly, but not enough to draw the attention of those around them. "Well, I guess if all you're going to do is blame me, I'm going to bed," he declared, using the short conversation as an excuse to get out of there.

This reaction just caused Isaac to crack a smile and Ivan to laugh even harder. Mia let out a short laugh as well and shook her head at Garet's antics. If it was anyone else she might have been worried, but these shows were part of the Mars adept's fun as she had quickly learned while traveling with him.

Watching Garet walk away, Ivan turned back towards Mia, who was just finishing off the last of her pastry. "Hey Mia…" he started to say.

"Hmm?" Mia inquired as her attention was drawn back to the table the three remaining adepts were sitting at. Mia knew she was in for it when Ivan gave her a wiseass grin.

"Do you remember that time when Garet-" Ivan started to say before Mia cut him off.

"Don't even bring it up," the cerulean haired girl got out before Ivan could finish talking. She knew exactly what he was about to say already. _When I was still new to the group and learning about everyone's personality, Garet decided to give me a trial by fire to see how I'd fit in by reacting incredibly offended by anything that I said no matter how unrelated to him….and I kept apologizing for it until he felt bad about everything and let me in on the joke._

"That was just mean," Mia said, giving Ivan a little taste of overreaction, just as Garet had given her back then.

Ivan laughed, realizing that her response indicated she knew exactly what he was talking about. Even Isaac couldn't hide a chuckle thinking back on it and Mia turned to see the blonde boy's face full of merriment.

Mia suddenly giggled at the sight of Isaac's face as the blonde boy had missed wiping some sauce from his food off the corner of his mouth. Not sure why it was so amusing, Mia tried to point it out to him.

"Isaac, you missed a spot," she said, raising a finger to her own mouth to indicate where. Slightly embarrassed, Isaac raised his napkin to his face but tried to wipe the wrong side. "No, no, other side," Mia added, prompting Isaac to try again, though he missed the spot and didn't actually accomplish anything.

Sighing at the situation, Mia took matters into her own hand and used her napkin to wipe the sauce off Isaac's face. If he wasn't every embarassed before, Isaac certainly was now.

Mia just sat back in her chair again, smirking at the situation before Ivan butted in. "Wow, get a room you two," he joked, causing Mia to feel somewhat embarrassed as well. Neither Isaac nor Mia had anything to say to that, and Ivan just laughed, before standing up from the table.

"I think I'm going to retire for the night as well," he said, pushing his chair in and glancing over towards the hallway back to the rooms.

"All right. Good night Ivan," Isaac said, getting over his embarrassment from the Jupiter adept's comment.

"Good night," Mia chimed in, trying to forget about Ivan's suggestion as well.

That didn't mean Ivan was finished however. As he turned and began to walk off he made one last comment. "I hope you two enjoy your night," he said with a wink.

The insinuation was obvious, but niether Isaac or Mia graced the comment with a reply as they both turned slightly away from each other so as not to see the other's reaction.

Before the silence could get awkward Mia spoke up. "Don't you need to rest before tomorrow as well?" she asked the blonde boy.

Isaac looked back over at her. "Ah...yes that's true, I should probably do that," he said, glad to have an excuse to change the subject. Mia smiled and stood up from the table, indicating she was also done eating. Taking her cue, Isaac did the same, stepping away from the table to walk back toward the rooms with Mia.

The pair walked in silence as they approached the rooms they had been given by the palace, but when Isaac stopped in front of his room, he hesitated before entering. "Are you going to be all right tomorrow?" Mia asked him, betraying some of the worry she still had about the situation they found themselves in.

Isaac turned to her. "I'll be fine Mia," he said gently, placing his hand on Mia's shoulder in an attempt to reassure the girl.

Though her anxiety remained, Mia had no choice but to take Isaac's confidence at face value. _As far as combat prowess are concerned, Isaac is second to none,_ Mia reminded herself, trying to match the blonde boy's sense of confidence. "All right," she answered, turning toward the Venus adept with a smile. "Good night then Isaac," Mia added.

"Good night Mia," Isaac replied. With that the two adepts went their separate ways. Isaac opened the door to his room and walked inside as Mia continued down the hall to the room she was in before.

Reaching for the doorknob, Mia tried once again to silence her worries for Isaac. Shaking her head, she gripped the cold metal of the handle and opened the door. Stepping inside, Mia gently closed the door behind her, but did not move farther into the room.

 _My mind just keeps going back to Isaac after those injuries from the fight on the ship_ , she admitted. Frustrated, she walked forward slightly and started slowly pacing back and forth in front of the door. _I may have been the one out for longer after healing him, but I was never the one in danger of dying...I feel like I should still be at his side. Too bad that's not possible..._

Mia stopped in her tracks again as she thought over things again. _Why wouldn't it be possible though?_ She asked herself. _He's just down the hall...there's nothing stopping me from just going over to his room..._

Conflicted, Mia didn't know what to do. Logically she knew she should just leave Isaac to his rest and allow him to get some early sleep to ensure he was fully recovered and ready for the next day. _...But that's not really what you want is it?_ Part of Mia's head spoke up.

"I...I don't know…" she whispered to herself, torn between her personal desire to see Isaac and the answer common sense gave her.

Giving into her thoughts again, Mia changed the question on herself. _He doesn't usually sleep this early. How much do you really think you'd be disturbing him?_

She was used to having the blonde boy around and especially so shortly after being injured, Mia wouldn't normally think to leave Isaac's side. _Even if he seems to be better, it just feels wrong to me not to be there with him,_ Mia felt. _He's not even more than a door or two away._

Agonizing over the thought of going back to see Isaac, she walked over to her bed and let herself fall into it face first. The fluffy feeling mattress caught her as she stayed in that position for a few seconds before rolling over to look upwards at the ceiling.

Lying there, Mia thought back to earlier in the day when she had been glad to see Isaac there for her when she woke up. _That one simple fact brought me so much happiness,_ she reflected with a smile gracing her face.

Mia began feeling a strange feeling in her chest again, just as she had earlier. Though she had mistaken it for after effects of the poison previously, Mia did not make the same mistake this time. _It's that feeling again…_ she mused, trying desperately to reach out to it and determine what it was, and what it meant for her.

There was no need to use her psynergy to check her body this time. As the feeling intensified, Mia continued to feel a pull toward Isaac from her mind. Her desire to see the blonde boy seemed to intensify with each passing moment as she lay on the bed. Putting her hand over her chest, Mia finally understood. _They're related! This feeling...my wish to see Isaac..._ The how and why remained firmly out of her grasp, but even with limited knowledge she was able to put two and two together. _When I felt like this earlier, Isaac was here! ...And now I feel this way again because I want to see him?_

Mia closed her eyes and tried to slow her thoughts down and make sense of them. _These feelings are strong. I know I'm concerned about him and his injuries...My feelings about the wellbeing of my friends should be strong though._

There was something different about what she was feeling now. Somehow it wasn't just mere concern for her companion, and she knew it. _I know what concern feels like._ Mia told herself. _I've felt concern many times before when Isaac, Garet, or Ivan ended up injured. This feeling now is different though. It feels like concern...but it doesn't. There's something else to it that makes it different…_

Sighing loudly, the cerulean haired adept brought her hands up to her face, covering her eyes from the light of the room. Somehow, somewhere along the line Mia knew something had changed for her despite never noticing it.

 _Is this something that developed recently or has it always been there and I just never noticed?_ Mia asked herself. Unable to come up with a satisfactory answer, the question continued to burn in the back of her mind.

Unable to deny her feelings any longer, Mia got off the bed and stood up. _I'm not going to get any sleep agonizing over all this,_ she knew. _I….want to see him._

Walking back over to the door, Mia hesitantly reached out and turned the handle to walk outside again. Stepping into the hall, she glanced over toward the door Isaac had disappeared through only minutes earlier.

Slowly walking over to it, Mia could feel her heart beating faster, unsure if it was anticipation or nerves. _Should I knock?_ She wondered, stopping in front of the door that would lead to the blonde adept on her mind.

Mia found herself spared from making that decision as footsteps approached from behind her and a voice called out. "Hey...what's going on here?" a guard asked as he approached where Mia was standing in front of Isaac's door. As the man approached, Mia recognized it as the same guard that helped her out earlier.

Evidently, the guard recognized her as well because he slowed down and softened his voice. "Oh it's you again miss," he said. "Something happen?" the guard inquired, trying to understand Mia's purpose outside Isaac's room.

"Oh...no, not really," Mia replied, unsure of what she should say about her wish to see Isaac again. "I was just going to see if he was still awake," she followed up, indicating Isaac's door next to them.

The guard glanced over at the door as well and shrugged. "We're supposed to make sure the contestants don't get disturbed before the tournament…" he stated almost as if speaking to himself.

Mia's heart sank a bit and wondered if maybe her expedition down the hall wasn't such a good idea after all. The guard looked back at Mia and just smiled. "I've seen this before though," he said thinking things over. "Wait...are you actually his wife or something?" the guard asked, somewhat surprised at his own conclusion.

Mia was taken aback by the surprise question. _Wife?!_ Her mind asked. Mia felt her heart skip a beat, but her feelings were not to be denied and she answered before even thinking it through.

"I err….uh, yes," Mia answered, feeling her embarrassment grow with each passing second and she realized what it was she just said.

"Hah!" the guard let out a quiet laugh at the answer. "I knew it," he said. "I understand completely," he reassured Mia. Stepping up to the door the guard knocked and waited a moment before calling out. "Sir! Your wife came to see you," he said before turning back toward a mortified Mia and flashing a smile at her.

 _Oh Mercury….Oh Mercury…._ Mia repeated in her mind after hearing what the guard said. _What is Isaac going to think…._ She briefly considered just running away and pretending the whole thing never happened, but that would defeat the purpose of her being there in the first place. Gulping silently, Mia settled in to see the consequences of her actions. _How did it end up like this?_

A few agonizing moments passed and the door was hesitantly opened from the inside. Getting a glimpse of Isaac, Mia felt her face flushed beet red, redder than it had ever been before. Isaac raised an eyebrow at the bashful looking girl as he entered the situation, but to his credit he managed to remain stoic throughout, only a slight coloration on his checks betraying his embarrassment as well.

"My wife huh?" Isaac asked looked between Mia and the guard, who nodded at the inquiry.

 _Is he actually doing that on purpose to tease me right now?_ Mia asked herself as her face got even redder, if that was possible. _There's absolutely no way he doesn't know how embarrassed I am right now...though I do kind of deserve it,_ she admitted.

Turning back toward Mia, Isaac said, "Well come on in then." A thoroughly numb Mia found herself walking past Isaac and into his room. "Thank you," Isaac addressed the guard who bowed in silence before walking away as Isaac closed the door behind Mia.

Mia could feel Isaac's eyes from behind her, but she couldn't bring herself the face the boy she had wanted so desperately to see.

"So….wife?" Isaac asked as Mia felt her heart once again pounding in her chest. "I wasn't aware I was married…" the Venus adept trailed off, knowing it would prompt a reaction from Mia.

Turning around at last, the flustered Mia tried to explain. "That's not...I didn't mean-" she tried to say before Isaac held her up by hold his hand out to stop her.

With a laugh, Isaac said, "This is going to be good isn't it?" referring to Mia's explanation.

Blushing again, she tried to calm herself to little avail. "I might have spoken without thinking…?" Mia asked, her voice lowering as her statement went on. Isaac stayed quiet, knowing it wasn't something she was asking, but meant it more as an explanation. "I...I wanted to come see you," Mia explained truthfully. "The guard noticed and asked what was going on and thought that I was…" she trailed off. "...Well he thought I was your wife…" Mia added, struggling to get the word off her lips.

She was relieved as Isaac didn't press the point further, since she had conveniently omitted the part about her confirming her status as his wife.

Isaac walked over to his bed and sat on the edge of it before bringing his hand to his face and failing to hold back laughter again. "I had no idea what was happening Isaac said. I thought they had the wrong room or something at first but….you should have seen your face when I opened the door." Isaac shook his head and looked over at Mia, who had decided to avoid his gaze for the time being. "I didn't realize you could look that horrified," the blonde boy stated.

 _What should I say? What can I even say? Isaac is never going to let me live this down…_ Mia knew.

Picking up on Mia's state of anxiety over the situation, Isaac made an effort to be more serious despite maintaining an amused smile on his face. "Don't worry Mia," he said trying to reassure her. "That was pretty funny...but there must have been a reason you wanted to come over here...other than...you know...that," he said, unable to avoid one last poke at the situation.

Mia could still feel her heart beating fast and blood in her cheeks, but they were rapidly normalizing as she realized Isaac had a good sense of humor over what happened. "I...I just came to see you," she tried to explain even though her head still wasn't fully working properly again.

Isaac looked at her curiously, wondering why she had suddenly felt that way after being together just 20 minutes before. Giving up on holding her feelings back, Mia decided nothing more embarrassing could come out of the night. "I missed you," she added, speaking directly from the heart.

Whatever Isaac expected, it wasn't this. There was something different about they way Mia had said it so matter of factly that he hadn't seen from her.

"Mia…" he replied, unsure what to say himself.

Mia took the initiative again and built upon her previous statement. "I...feel better around you. I didn't feel like myself tonight and I wanted to see you again...just spend a little more time with you…" she paused. "It's comforting to be with you...and...and…" Mia found herself unable to continue.

Isaac's surprise registered on his face. Mia had never really opened up to him in this way before. Sure, she had looked to him for support and reassurance in the past, but that was different. Usually it would be something about their quest or the uncertainty of their future. Tonight she was here purely for comfort, and ISaac found himself at a loss.

Mia sniffed and felt her eyes beginning to tear up. _Am I going to cry? But why…?_ She wondered. _Not now...please no…._

Isaac noticed as well and looked conflicted. "Mia…" he tried to say, but he realized words weren't going to cut it.

Mia tried to wipe the tears from her eyes before she truly ended up crying, but was interrupted as she felt a pair of arms envelop her in a gentle embrace. Surprised, Mia felt the tears recede as she looked up to see a hesitant looking Isaac holding her.

"It's okay Mia," he said in an effort to provide some of the comfort she was so desperately seeking. "Everything will be okay," Isaac tried to reassure Mia as the cerulean haired girl brought her eyes under control.

She was enjoying the embrace and found herself suddenly returning the hug with one of her own, pressing her head against Isaac and locking her hands behind the Venus adept's back.

 _This is it...this is what I mean…_ Mia thought, holding the embrace as if it was a delicate thing that would break with one false move. _How does he have such a profound effect on my emotions?_ She asked.

"Hey Isaac…" Mia finally said, again giving into her heart's desire.

"Hmm?" Isaac murmured in reply, making no move to end the hug they were stuck in.

"I know this is selfish...but…" Mia started to ask. "Do you think….would it be possible for me to stay with you tonight?" She asked.

This time Isaac was able to reply without hesitation.

"Of course."

* * *

 _AN: I've been looking forward to writing this chapter since I got the idea for it so that's why it came out so soon after the last one. I've been liking how the story has been progressing so far and have some ideas for later on as well. I'll try to keep updating without gaps that are too long between chapters._

 _That said, I understand it's a break from the way the game goes at this point, but I never did much like the whole "invisible man in the cave" thing and decided to have the Colosso entry be by virtue of defeating the Kraken instead._


	9. The Day Of Colosso

**Chapter 9: The Day Of Colosso**

A soft, fluffy feeling greeted Mia back into the world as she yawned quietly. Stretching her hand outward by reflex, they met the plush fabric sheets of the Tolbi bed Mia had slept in. The luxurious feeling was calming and incredibly soft against her skin as she rolled over and opened her eyes.

The room was already lit as Mia saw the sheets on the rest of the bed next to her. Still tired with droopy eyes, she reached out and pulled a large amount of the remaining covers toward her, holding them tightly in a hug. Closing her eyes again, Mia waited as her brain started to switch on, slowly waking her up for the day. As she became more aware and alert of her surroundings, Mia snuggled further into the sheets and blankets accompanying her on the bed in an effort to continue resting.

As Mia continued to lay there she was overcome with a sense of happiness and content, two things that, when coupled with the luxurious surroundings in the Tolbi Palace, offered a wonderful start to the day for the Mercury adept.

The sound of a door closing gently greeted Mia's ears as she lay there and prompted her to open her eyes again and turn towards the noise. Her eyes settled on the features of a blonde haired boy she knew well, who was getting fully dressed for the day.

Having heard Mia shift around on the bed, Isaac glanced over at her and gave Mia a smile. "Good morning sleepy," he commented, keeping his voice low so as not to disturb her too much.

 _Oh that's right_ , Mia thought as the events of the previous night came back to her. The bed she was in was Isaac's, loaned to them during the Colosso tournament due to Isaac's participation in it, but also as thanks for their part in re-opening the shipping routes across the Kargol Sea.

"Good morning," Mia managed to murmur in reply, even while replaying events in her head, including the fact she had claimed to be Isaac's wife when asked as a way to get into the Venus adept's room. She blushed in embarrassment at the situation she got herself into and the realization she had spent the night with Isaac, sleeping in the same bed as him. Being so near to him at night was not at all unusual given their tent circumstances, but somehow the manner and circumstances that lead to this situation made it seem a bit different than usual to the Mercury adept.

Getting a better look at the blonde boy as he continued to get ready for the day, Mia saw that he had already dressed himself up in his usual casual attire. As if mesmerized, she continued to stare at Isaac until he walked in front of a mirror and Mia caught a quick glimpse of her own reflection.

Startled, her eyes stopped tracking the Venus adept and focused on her unkempt reflection staring back at her. Mia regarded her disheveled hair with horror, seeing that it was making a good impression of Isaac's untidy hairstyle. Using her hands to attempt to correct it in vain, she only managed to further mess it up.

 _Oh no, I can't let Isaac see me like this!_ Mia thought, her embarrassment returning for a new reason. Though the thought was illogical as sharing a tent over the course of their journey inevitably meant Isaac had seen her like this many times before, this time it felt different to the cerulean haired girl. Sighing, Mia gave up on fixing her hair and retreated by pulling the covers up as far as they would go without completely obscuring her face.

Isaac glanced back toward the bed and found the girl acting like a turtle hiding in its shell, causing him to let out a laugh at the silly comparison. This didn't do much to bolster Mia's self confidence in the situation, but fortunately Isaac was merciful. "Come on, let's do something about that hair," Isaac stated, indicating the washroom he had used before Mia woke up. "You can fix yourself up in there," he added with a smile.

Relief hit Mia as she felt reassured by his words. "I should probably do that huh?" she asked rhetorically, knowing how ridiculous she looked. _Of course he isn't fazed by that,_ Mia told herself as she pulled the covers off enough to sit up in the bed. _He knows what my bed head looks like by now._

Isaac caught himself continuing to look over at Mia for slightly longer than necessary and gave a start, jumping slightly and quickly turning back to what he was doing. Just as Mia was about to get out of bed and go look at the washroom, a loud knock rang out from the door.

"Hey Isaac, it's us," Garet's voice called out from the other side.

Both adepts froze as they heard Garet, not sure how to react in the present situation. Isaac and Mia glanced at each other once quickly, as if to ask what they should do and then Isaac looked over at the door quickly before turning back to Mia.

Understanding that he was going to answer the door, Mia quickly lay back down in the bed and covered herself with the sheets and blankets to hide. _Oh Mercury…_ she thought, praying she wouldn't be found. _The awkwardness of this situation is killing me._ Mia felt ridiculous hiding from her friends, but understood that everything could be very, very easily misunderstood if they found her here. Mia turned beet red just thinking about it. _I'm so glad nobody can see me right now,_ she thought.

Isaac opened the door slightly to greet Garet and Ivan and Mia heard the Venus adept talk. "Hey guys, I was just getting ready for the day. What's up?" He asked nonchalantly.

 _Please let this work, please let this work,_ Mia found herself begging as she waited with baited breath for Garet's reply.

"Sure," Garet answered. "We were going to go check out the town in a bit here and wanted to see if you'd like to come before Colosso starts."

"Sound good," Isaac answered him quickly. "Let me finish getting ready and I'll come with you."

There was a pause and Mia started to feel relief that they didn't know, but it all came crashing down with Garet's next words.

"By the way...any idea where Mia is? We tried her room too and she seems to not be there," the Mars adept added.

Mia felt herself freezing up again as Isaac also hesitated by the door. _Oh no! Oh no!_ Mia thought, but fortunately Isaac recovered quickly.

"Hmm...not really sure," Isaac replied with a forced smile. "Maybe she wanted to get some herbs and decided to get that out of the way?" he suggested helpfully.

Garet seemed to think it over for a second. "Yeah, I suppose that makes sense," he said with a shrug. "Well anyway...just come grab us when you're ready to go and we can meet up with her later then," he said.

Isaac smiled. "Will do," he answered before Garet and Ivan walked away and Isaac could shut the door again.

The two adepts in the room remained silent for several seconds until they were sure their companions had left and then Isaac finally said, "They're gone," with a sigh of relief.

Mia let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and got out from underneath the covers to look over at Isaac. "Thank Mercury, Venus, and the other elements that worked," she said, prompting a chuckle from Isaac.

"Yeah, seriously…" he replied in kind. "That could have ended up really awkward," Isaac added.

Mia's relief had drowned out most of her thoughts about what Ivan and Garet might have thought had they found them here together, but could still feel her face flushed with color at the inappropriate ideas.

Glancing over at Isaac in silence, Mia could see the same coloration on the blonde boy's face. _Is he thinking the same thing?_ She asked herself, wondering about Isaac's reaction as well.

"Ah! ...Anyway," Isaac exclaimed to break the awkward silence as he looked away from Mia. "Why don't you freshen up for the day? I'm going to go grab the other two out there before they come back and you can just meet us out in the celebration," Isaac suggested.

Mia quickly agreed. "Yes, I think that sounds like a good idea," she said, trying to still her pounding heart as she finally got fully out of bed.

"All right then. See you out there," Isaac said. Mia answered with a smile and a nod before heading to the washroom.

As she walked over there, Mia could feel Isaac's eyes on her until she opened the door. Behind her was the sound of Isaac leaving and she glanced back quickly to see him disappear outside and shut the door behind him.

As Mia closed the door behind her as well, she she let out another breath of air and allowed herself to sit down on the floor, propped against the door with her heart still beating rapidly.

 _What has been up with me lately?_ Mia asked herself. _First last night, and now this…_

Glancing around the washroom, Mia found a sink with a knob to run water through that she figured she could use to fix her hair quickly. Like the rest of the room and the palace itself, the washroom was fancy too with inlaid stones and decorative patterns on the floor and walls.

Her mind was still on Isaac however. _It almost felt like a rush of adrenaline knowing he was watching me walk away,_ Mia thought, picking herself up off the floor as her heartbeat began to normalize. It seemed like these moments of intense emotion were becoming more and more common for her recently, especially where the blonde Venus adept was concerned. _Isaac just seems to stick in my mind a lot,_ Mia knew. _I mean...I care about him a lot so it makes sense…_

She sighed. _I don't even know what to make of my own thoughts anymore sometimes,_ Mia mused. _If I didn't know any better, I might even say I'm infatuated by him by how often he's on my mind,_ she told herself.

Mia shook her head. _That's not right though. I'm always worried about him, just like I would be for my other companions as well,_ she told herself. _Isaac just doesn't always take care of himself so I have to watch over him more,_ Mia rationalized with a slight grin at the thought.

Walking over to the stone basin in front of a mirror, Mia laughed at her appearance. Her hair was indeed reminiscent of the unkempt way Isaac's fell on his head. _It definitely looks a lot better that way on him than me though!_ Mia astutely observed. She smirked before turning a knob to allow the water to flow onto her hands and into the basin.

Cupping her hands, Mia captured some water and used it to wet her hair and calm it down from the eccentric look it had going on. With her hair wet, she was able to reshape her usual ponytail and fix up her appearance to the point of normalcy.

Taking a good look at herself in the mirror to make sure she didn't miss any glaring flaws, Mia smiled. _Not bad,_ she thought. _Looks like I managed to beat the bedhead today._

Satisfied, she turned away from the mirror. _All right, let's do this. Time to go find the others._

The Mercury adept opened the door of the washroom and left, heading back through Isaac's room and to the door on the far side. Awkwardly, Mia opened the door nice and slow, peaking outside to see if the coast was clear.

Not seeing anyone, she stepped outside, gently closing the door to Isaac's room behind her. Quickly crossing over to her own room, Mia went to grab her things before heading out into the town. As she moved across the hall, Mia noticed she had missed the guard that was standing further down the hall watching her.

"Good morning," the guard said in greeting as Mia passed by. It was the same guard from the other night when Mia had gone over to Isaac's room and suddenly Mia blushed rapidly, realizing what he probably thought was going on.

"Good morning," Mia replied awkwardly, her face turning as red as a beet when the guard winked at her as she passed by, confirming her suspicions. Avoiding any more eye contact, Mia hurried into her room and quickly gathered up the belongings she wanted to bring with her before leaving once again, trying to forget about the guard as she headed for the palace entrance.

Passing through the dining area where she had been before last night's events, Mia noticed the tables had been tidied up and cleaned to look as if nobody had even used them recently. Purposely trying to distract her mind from what just happened, she thought about how it was going to be the first time she would see the city. _It's strange to think that I've been here since yesterday, but don't even know what the city is like at all,_ Mia thought. _I was completely out after healing Isaac on the ship and we never left the palace last night either…_

Stepping through the double front doors of the palace, Mia was finally greeted by the sight of a bustling city. It was a bright and vibrant place, much unlike the first impressions she had when visiting Ivan's home in Kalay. _Wow…_ was all Mia could think of as she stopped in her tracks and just stared out at the crowds of people milling about.

The market was packed with stalls and vendors selling everything from food to clothing as visitors and townspeople alike milled about in celebration of the biggest event of the year. The din of the crowd could be heard clearly as Mia continued outside, the massive scale of the place providing a respite to her thoughts from earlier.

Feeling refreshed and curious about the city, Mia started down the pathway into the main part of the town. _How am I going to find these guys in all of this?_ Mia wondered, the crush of people making it difficult to try to recognize the familiar faces of her friends in the crowd. _I suppose I can wander around a bit and might eventually run into them…_ Mia thought.

As she passed various stalls, Mia could smell the food being made and a pleasant aroma filled the air. Each vendor offered something a little bit different with everything from meats to soups and pastries available to buy. Other stalls contained various goods and clothing with customers haggling over prices left and right.

As Mia made her way through the crowds in search of her friends, she noticed the occasional person holding their gaze on her longer than usual. _I probably stick out quite a bit,_ Mia analyzed. _They must have never seen cerulean hair before._

Paying it no mind, she admired the different shops while simultaneously keeping her eye out for any sign of Isaac, Garet, or Ivan. Stopping in front of a fabric shop, Mia eyed the vibrant color array they had available from oranges and yellows to deep purples and blues. Among the fabric types, Mia noticed they even had some silks that looked like they may have come from up near Xian, though the prices were much higher.

 _I guess that's how the merchants make a profit off of transporting it,_ Mia shrugged. _Still, the sheer amount of variety they have is incredible._ Smiling, she turned away from the shop and continued walking.

It wasn't too hard to differentiate between the tourists and townsfolk that lived in Tolbi. Most of the visitors meandered slowly through the maze of stalls, stopping often to look at various stalls or munching happily on food from some of the vendors. In contrast, the people who lived in Tolbi seemed to have a better idea where they were going and only paid sidelong glances at the wares lining the streets. They all seemed friendly enough and the typical lightweight robes and clothing worn by the locals were well suited to the warmer temperature of the city.

Though it was by no means hot out compared to the experience in the Lamakan Desert, Mia found herself wishing she had dressed a little lighter to accommodate the different climate from the last few towns she was in. _Oh well, it's not actually that bad,_ Mia thought to herself, conceding that it could be much worse.

Forgetting about her nitpick on the weather, she continued wandering down the street, squeezing past people stopped to look at various trinkets. Holding her robe closely to prevent it from snagging on anyone she passed, Mia finally broke through the crowd to a bit of a clearing with a large fountain in the center.

People were much less cluttered here and having some breathing room felt good. Most people were gathered around near the fountain watching others toss coins or larger medals into the fountain one by one. As Mia stood off to the side looking over at the crowd, cheers came out and someone announced a winner of the game they were playing.

A small group of people from the far side of the fountain broke off the rest of the spectators and began walking in Mia's direction. They caught her eye as they approached and Mia was relieved to see the familiar faces of Ivan, Garet, and Isaac.

They looked pleased to see her and Mia was happy to have caught up to them as well. "Hey Mia," Ivan said as they approached.

"Hi everyone," Mia replied, looking to each of her companions in turn and blushing slightly when she saw Isaac. _Oh no, not again…_ Mia groaned inwardly, the awkward events of the night and morning catching her off guard again. Fortunately, none of the three boys noticed the slight change in mannerisms at all and she was able to dismiss the embarrassment.

"Where have you been?" Garet asked. "We tried to find you earlier but you already left your room," he said.

Remembering what Isaac said about herbs to distract the redhead earlier in the morning, Mia decided to change her story a bit so they would not be too in sync. "Sorry," she apologized. "I ended up going for a quick walk in the morning. I needed some fresh air and hadn't been outside yet since getting here," she explained.

"Ah, make sense," Isaac answered her quickly, trying to sell her story to the other two adepts.

Ivan just glanced between the two of them and shrugged. "Well we're glad to have finally caught up to you," he said with a smile. "We were just about to check out this game over here if you want to join us," he offered to the cerulean haired adept.

"Of course," Mia agreed. "Lead the way," she said, indicating the fountain with a gesture from her hand. The four adepts walked across the square together, finding a gap near the edge of the fountain where they could see what was happening.

Approaching the edge, Mia could see the beautifully crafted fountain. It was a large octagonal shape, decorated with small pillars on each point of the edge, complimented by an ornately crafted dragon visage along the back wall.

The center of the fountain was painted with a series of rings to look like a target and apparently the goal of the game was to land a coin or medal in the rings in order to win a prize.

As Mia watched, one person from the crowd stepped up with a gold coin in hand. Facing away from the fountain, the man tossed it behind him to the cheers of the onlookers. The coin arced through the air and bounced, rolling slightly before coming to a rest on one of the outer rings of the target area.

"Congratulations!" the person running the fountain game said. "You've won 5 gold coins!" Pointing at a booth off to the side, the man told the contestant he could collect his winnings from the prize booth. Glancing over at the direction indicated, the 4 adepts saw the prize booth stocked with various items of clothings, adventuring gear, and some other smaller prizes as well.

"Shall we check it out?" Isaac asked the group, curious about what all the prizes were.

"Sure" Ivan replied, and with that the group wandered over to see what was available.

The makeshift tent was small, obviously set up for this day in particular, but the people running it had managed to fit a ton of items inside. Scanning the shelves and bins Mia could see a number of interesting items. Fancy clothing, armors, and weapons all stood out from among the higher end prizes and were interspersed with the lower tier ones as well.

The lower tier items included more mundane items and trinkets, but Mia also noted a rare psy crystal or two among the stash. _These rewards are actually pretty good,_ Mia noted, seeing the boys drooling over the selection of rare weapons and armor they could potentially win.

Smiling to herself, Mia could tell the boys were interested in the game and decided to throw them a bone. "Well, what do you think?" she asked. "You want to give it a shot?"

All three of her companions turned to her with a grin on their faces. "Now that sounds like a plan!" Ivan exclaimed. Garet looked eager to try and Isaac shrugged.

Turning to the man behind the counter, Isaac asked how the game worked and how they could play it. Ivan and Garet listened with rapt attention as the rules were explained. Essentially the point of the game was to throw a medal or coin into the fountain without looking and depending on where it landed either win a prize or a payout of gold. The medals are what allowed receiving prizes like the items, weapons, and various trinkets, while gold just pays out in more gold.

"How much are the medals?" Isaac asked after hearing how the game worked.

"500 gold each," The man answered.

Silently Isaac looked at all his companions in turn to ask their thoughts, but the eager faces of Ivan and Garet were a dead giveaway. Mia smiled and nodded as Isaac looked her way and that was all he needed. Handing the man 2000 gold, Isaac said, "Let's get four medals then."

Handing Isaac the medals, the man smiled. "Good luck to you," he said.

Thanking him, Isaac turned to Ivan, Garet, and Mia and handed a medal to each of them. "Time to see how this goes," he said.

The medal was quite heavy and upon examination, Mia noticed the words "Lucky Medal" inscribed across the bottom of it. Ivan and Garet had already started chatting about what items they wanted if they won the right tier and Mia had to hold back a laugh at how excited they were to test their luck.

"Step right up," The man next to the fountain said. "Who is going to be next?"

Seeing nobody else moving forward, Garet walked up and volunteered. The man spun Garet around to face the opposite direction and let him know he could toss the medal. Garet did so and the medal made a clanking sound as it hit the bottom of the fountain. Mia watch as it rolled around the slightly inwardly sloped basin before stopping a couple rings from the center.

"Not bad!" the announcer exclaimed. "That's a third prize. Feel free to grab your reward from the stand."

Garet thanks the man and stepped down, making way for another of his companions. "That was pretty good wasn't it?" Garet asked the rest of the group, reasonably happy with his result. The other two boys just shrugged and replied that they could do better.

Isaac and Ivan both motioned to Mia to see if she would go next. Looking back and forth between the two boys, Mia decided to give it a shot. She walked up to the platform and turned facing away from the fountain, doing her best to remember where all the rings were positioned and approximately how far away they were.

"Go for it," the announcer said.

Mia took the medal and tossed it over her shoulder without looking until she head the telltale sound of the metal hitting the base of the fountain. _Hopefully it's not too bad!_ She thought as she turned around to see the medal resting squarely on one of the outer rings.

Mia felt a strange mix of disappointment, but relief that she had at least managed to hit one of the rings and not miss entirely. _Well, it could have gone worse,_ she thought with a chuckle.

"Fourth prize!" the announcer said. "Not too bad!"

Thanking the announcer and grabbing the 4th ring prize ticket he handed her, Mia stepped down and back towards her friends. "Hey, at least you hit it," Ivan said, congratulating Mia in his own way.

"All right, you're up," Mia replied, indicating the Jupiter adept. With a smile, Ivan agreed and headed up to test his chances.

Facing away just like the other two, Ivan lobbed the medal high in the air and it came down into the fountain rolling in circles around the rings. As the medal kept going it slowly started moving in towards the center of the rings.

"Oh this one looks good!" the announcer stated and all four adepts looked on in anticipation.

Mia kept her eyes glued to the medal as it continued wobbling closer and closer to the center before finally falling down, touching the center ring.

"Oh wow! Congratulations on winning one of the grand prizes for a near perfect throw!" the announcer yelled out as cheers from other onlookers rained down upon Ivan. With a big grin, Ivan accepted his prize voucher and quickly made it back to the rest of them.

"That was amazing!" Garet exclaimed, excited for his friend's throw. "You always have all the luck," the redhead added.

Ivan just laughed sheepishly. "That turned out better than expected," he said.

Mia couldn't help but to smile. "That's going to be a tough act to follow isn't it Isaac," she asked teasingly, looking over at the blonde boy who had yet to go.

Isaac shrugged dismissively. "I don't know...looks pretty easy to me," he said mockingly, projecting an aura of confidence and bravado the rest knew was his way of joking about it.

Having to back up his talk, Isaac was the last to take the stage, and he lined himself up to take his shot at it. Mia watched once more as Isaac tried to do something similar to Ivan and roll the medal into the center, but it didn't seem to have as much stability after landing as Ivan's did.

Nevertheless, Mia held her breath as it got closer and closer, but finally wobbled and toppled over on the very innermost ring, outside of the center.

"First prize!" The announcer stated, to some more applause from the audience. Isaac turned to his companions and shrugged before accepting his voucher and joining up with them again.

"Well, I got close at least," Isaac said with a laugh as he reached everyone and the group began heading over to the prize stand to see what they could pick up.

Ivan, of course, had his pick of anything in the stand and wasted no time in admiring some of the sleek blades on display. Testing the weight and balance of the weapons, Ivan meticulously poured over his options.

Garet on the other hand, was looking over some of the armor pieces available from his tier of reward and started trying on some spiked gauntlets that Mia felt would compliment his fighting style well.

 _What should I do with my prize?_ Mia wondered, seeing Isaac eyeing some clothing off to the side. The choices in front of Mia were mostly vanity items, but did include a few things of practical use as well. Noting the existence of a psy crystal among the fourth tier rewards, Mia couldn't help but to wonder if the townspeople truly understood what it was.

 _Those crystals are actually pretty valuable because of their ability to boost the effects of psynergy, but they probably just think it's a pretty looking gem,_ Mia thought, debating on picking it up. _I really don't prefer to use them, but it would be handy to have around in case it's necessary later on,_ she decided.

Always one for practicality, Mia picked up the gem and took it to the manager to redeem with her ticket. Tucking the item safely away with the rest of her belongings, she glanced over to see Ivan and Garet obsessing over the sword that Ivan had finally picked out. _Garet is still wearing those gloves too,_ Mia noted, figuring he must have redeemed those as well.

Isaac was still off to the side on the other end of the stand, around the corner by the clothes, and Mia decided to go join him. Walking over, she managed to reach the blonde boy before he noticed her presence.

"Oh, hey Mia," Isaac said, breaking out of whatever thoughts he was apparently lost in before.

"Hey," Mia replied quickly with a smile, glancing around to see what Isaac was looking over.

To her surprise, Isaac was staring at a wall containing a kimono and some sort of dress that would be completely useless to him. Raising her eyebrow, she turned back to Isaac who scratched his nose sheepishly as he felt Mia's unasked question about what he was doing.

"Well it was going to be a surprise...but I had a hard time deciding between the two..." Isaac stated.

"A surprise?" Mia replied, not sure she was following his train of thought.

"I don't know," Isaac said. "I don't really need any of this gear since everything I have is pretty good and comfortable for me to use already so I figured maybe it would be okay to pick something else out," he explained.

"I know you really like your robes and everything, but thought you might like something a little different sometimes and these caught my eye," Isaac pointed at the two garments hanging on the wall.

As the pieces fit together and Mia realized Isaac was actually shopping for her, a surprised look came over her face and she wasn't quite sure what to say. As Mia just stared mutely at the blonde boy for a few seconds, Isaac tried to fill in the gap. "I thought one of these would look good on you..." he said, a slight pink tinge appearing in his cheeks.

Snapping to her senses, Mia turned her attention toward the clothes Isaac had indicated, with an objection on her lips. "Isaac, I appreciate the thought, but you don't need to get me anything you know…" she said.

"I know, I know," Isaac answered, expecting that sort of reply. "That's why I was planning to just surprise you," he said with a short laugh.

Mia's eyes settled upon the pieces Isaac was looking over. _Huh...they're actually really pretty,_ Mia found herself thinking. The kimono was a deep sea blue with a golden sash around the waist and pattern that reminded her of the ocean waves. The other garment was a casual looking, slightly pinkish cocktail dress that was plain and simple, ending in a pleated skirt. Either one looked suitable for both casual and more formal wear.

"I must admit, you do have good taste though," Mia complemented Isaac, giving credit to him for the find.

"That's good enough for me!" Isaac answered, happy to hear she liked how the garments looked. "Which one do you like better?" The Venus adept asked Mia, fishing for an answer.

 _Truth be told, they would probably both look really good,_ she knew. Mia laughed. "I'm not telling you that easily!" she exclaimed with a grin.

"Oh come on Mia," Isaac pleaded, not realizing he couldn't really go wrong with either choice.

"Nope!" Mia stood firm. "If you did decide to get me one...and I'm not saying you should…" Mia paused. "Surprise me," she finished. "That was the point after all wasn't it?" she asked, taking the opportunity to walk away and leave Isaac to his own devices. A dumbfounded Isaac couldn't do anything else but watch as Mia retreated away to go join the other two boys and see what they had picked up.

Secretly the thought of Isaac picking something out for her excited Mia. _I don't think I could have decided between the two,_ Mia thought. _I'd rather have whichever one Isaac thinks would look good…_

Though excitement at that thought was bubbling up within her, Mia managed to keep a normal expression as she walked up to Garet and Ivan. "Hey you two," she greeted them. "What did you end up getting for your prizes?"

Garet and Ivan were more than willing to show off their shiny new toys and Garet raised one of his hands to make a fist. The spikey gauntlets from earlier easily reflected the light of the midday sun, obviously polished to be showy in the prize booth. "Pretty neat don't you think?" Garet asked, flexing his hand a few times to show off the range of motion within the armored plates.

"That actually looks incredibly well crafted," Mia agreed. "It's not often we find gear offering good protection like that for you that is also easy to move around in," she added.

The unmistakable sound of a blade being drawn caught both adepts attention as Ivan held up the weapon that he had picked up for his grand prize. The hilt was of simple design with a small circular guard on top and polished wood covered by crisscrossing leather strips to form a grip. The actual edge of the blade was sharp on one side and cut up at an angle on the end into a pointed tip along the spine of the weapon. It was too short to truly be called a sword but also too long to be a dagger, resting somewhere in between the two.

"It's perfect for my fighting style," Ivan explained as Mia examined the weapon. "The shorter blade length allows me to use my speed to its fullest potential and will make it easier to attack enemies quickly and dodge any retaliatory strikes."

 _That makes a lot of sense,_ Mia found herself agreeing with her friend. "It sounds like you chose wisely then," she replied with a smile.

"What did you end up getting?" Garet asked Mia as she handed the sword back to Ivan.

"Me? I just picked up a psy crystal since I have a lower tier reward," Mia answered. "I figure it might come in handy sometime."

"I thought psy crystals were supposed to be rare?" Ivan voiced as he resheathed his new sword.

"Yeah," Garet chimed in too. "Why would they have a psy crystal among lower tier rewards?"

Mia shrugged. "Who knows? My best guess was that they didn't know its true value."

"Still, that's a great find then," Ivan replied, impressed by the irony of having the luck to find a good reward in the lower tiers.

"That's what I thought too," Mia replied with a smile.

At that moment Isaac walked up with a bag in his hand. Mia immediately knew what it was but Garet and Ivan were curious.

"What did you get Isaac?" Garet asked, indicating the bag by Isaac's side.

Isaac glanced at Mia and winked. "Nothing much," he said. "It's a secret though," he added to try and deter Garet.

Ivan shrugged, looking curiously at the bag as if he could use his Jupiter powers to somehow see inside. Garet was not to be dissuaded however, and laughed. "You're going to play that kind of game?" he asked.

Isaac just shrugged. "I'm serious. You'll probably find out, but for now...don't worry about it."

Garet rolled his eyes. "Hey, whatever you say man," he replied, dropping the subject even though his eyes still glanced at the bag.

Mia did a good job of ignoring the whole situation, though she did blush a bit when Isaac had winked and called it a secret. _Well it's obvious he got one of the two...I wonder which though..._

"So," Isaac stated. "I'm going to head back to get ready for the actual tournament since it is coming up and all."

"I'll head back as well I think," Ivan said.

"I suppose we might as well all go get ready and see Isaac off," Garet suggested.

Mia nodded in reply. "Sounds good to me too," she added.

Falling in line with Isaac the four members started making their way out of the square and back through the streets toward the palace. As they approached the gates, the guards outside stopped them briefly.

"Hold up!" One of the guards called out.

Looking over the group, he apparently recognized the faces of a few of them because he shortly stepped aside to allow the group to pass. "My apologies," he stated with a bow. "I simply had to make sure you were the guests staying with us. Please go right ahead."

"It's not a problem," Isaac replied with a wave of his hand and a smile. Mia passed by last and overheard one of the guards whisper the word 'Kraken Slayer' to the other.

 _That's such a silly nickname,_ Mia thought, holding back a giggle at the ridiculousness of it all. None of the boys had heard it and so she continued on ahead with them through the double doors of the entryway and into the hallways leading to their rooms.

Upon reaching Isaac's room the group stopped. Garet put his arm out and on Isaac's shoulder, looking the blonde boy in the eye. "Well...this is it. Go get ready and we'll be back in a few minutes to get you psyched up and ready to go," he said.

Isaac let out a half laugh as Garet dropped his arm. "Thanks Garet," he said to his long time friend appreciative of his support.

"I'm going to drop all my stuff off so I'm ready for the event," Ivan chimed in. "I'll be back to wish you luck as well."

Isaac nodded and with that both Garet and Ivan headed further down the hall toward their rooms. Mia looked over at Isaac quickly and smiled. "I'm going to go get ready too," she said.

Isaac glanced down. "Okay Mia," he said simply. "...And here. This is for you too," Isaac added, looking back up at the cerulean haired girl while holding the hand with the bag out.

Mia just shook her head with an amused grin. "You really shouldn't have Isaac...but thank you," she said with sincerity. Reaching out her hand, she took the bag from Isaac.

"Like I said to the other two earlier...don't worry about it," he said with a grin.

Mia laughed softly at the joke and shook her head again. "All right then," she answered, giving in.

With that, Isaac opened his door and stepped into his room. "See you in the bit then I suppose," he told her.

"See you soon," Mia replied as Isaac closed the door.

Crossing over to her own room, Mia slipped inside and walked over to the bed, placing her belongings on the ground beside it and laying the bag Isaac gave her on the bed. _Ah...I wonder which one it is,_ Mia thought, letting her curiosity peak again. _I should really be getting ready for the tournament...but…._

"Ah….forget it," Mia said to herself. Reaching into the bag, Mia pulled out the garment inside and laid it out flat on the bed. The slightly pink cocktail dress from earlier looked back at her as she stared at it. _Mercury...it's a pretty dress,_ Mia thought, examining it once again. _He probably figured the Kimono was too similar to my other robes,_ she realized with amusement. _Either way, it was a good pick though…_ Mia decided with a smile.

Though she didn't want to tear herself away from it just yet, Mia knew she still had to get ready quickly in order to go wish Isaac luck in time. Leaving the dress laying on the bed, she went through her other belongings for a better set of robes to wear to the event.

As she disrobed in preparation to change to her other clothes, she caught another glance of the cocktail dress on the bed out of the corner of her eye. As if tempting her, the dress captivated her gaze and she paused before putting on the robes she intended to wear.

 _I could try the dress on,_ a voice in Mia's head said. _This event would be the perfect opportunity to wear it too,_ the voice added. "Oh dear…" Mia said exasperated. "I should really just wear my normal attire," she added to herself.

 _Isaac picked that out for you, you know,_ the voice said, trying to get Mia to give in. That was a compelling idea indeed and Mia could feel herself swaying a bit as she considered the thought. _Isaac would see it too…_ The voice tempted her again. Thinking about that got her heart racing a little bit and something about the thought really caught Mia's attention.

Beyond any desire to even make sense of what her mind was saying, Mia shook her head slowly and made her way back over to the bed when the offending dress lay. Reaching out with a hand, she slowly picked it up by the shoulders and looked it over. "Okay, okay…" Mia told herself, trying to calm her heart a little bit. "What could it hurt to wear it?"

Slipping the dress on, Mia felt the soft fabric fall into place and was happy to see that it was extremely comfortable to wear. Stepping over in front of the mirror in the room to see how it looked, Mia noticed though it was tight against her upper body and torso, the pleated skirt flowed out nicely from the hips and the color accented her skin tone well.

 _Wow,_ Mia thought, admiring the look on her. _It looks even better than I thought it would._ Running her hands along the skirt to smooth it out a bit, Mia turned to look at herself from a different angle and reaffirmed her initial assessment that it looked good. _It definitely clings pretty tightly to my body,_ Mia observed, noting how it showed off her curves from months of exercise fighting monsters. She blushed slightly, but tried to hold her confidence above embarrassment.

Mia briefly considered letting her ponytail down, but quickly stopped herself. _No, no! That would be too much all at once. It would look like I'm trying too hard,_ she thought. Letting out a deep breath, Mia decided she was ready.

With one last look at the front, and a small adjustment to the shoulder, she turned toward the door to go meet up with the others. Feeling somewhat nervous, Mia turned the handle on her door and opened it to step outside. As she did, she was greeted by the sight of Ivan and Garet near Isaac's closed door, waiting for the blonde boy to be ready to go.

As Mia closed the door behind her, Ivan and Garet heard the noise and turned toward her. Both boys were wearing slightly better clothes than usual as well, but nothing as radically different as Mia. Surprise radiated across both their faces as Mia looked at them before walking over to where they were standing.

"Uh...hey Mia," Ivan finally said in greeting as the Mercury adept tried to calm her nerves.

"Hey," she replied simply, keeping her voice steady.

Garet just looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Dressing up tonight are we?" he asked pointedly. He didn't even realize Mia owned clothing like that, and decided that he didn't believe it.

"Wait…" he said starting to catch on. "Don't tell me Isaac's prize-" Garet was cut off by Ivan though.

"It totally is. It has to be," Ivan said looking at Mia's expression to determine the truth before chuckling to himself. "Oh this is too good…" Ivan said trailing off with a smug expression.

"What?" Mia asked pointedly, trying to understand what they were going on about. "Do I look too funny?" she added, worried that the change might have been a bit too much.

"No, no," Ivan reassured her. "Don't worry. You look fine," he said.

 _There are sure a lot of people saying 'don't worry' tonight,_ Mia mused, deciding not to push the point further since she was embarrassed enough already as it was. Fortunately she was saved the trouble of dwelling on it when Isaac's door opened.

"Hey guys, thanks for wait-" Isaac said as he stepped outside and saw his friends standing there for him. His voice stopped and he ceased moving as he laid his eyes on Mia. An awkward tension filled the air as Isaac just stared at the cerulean haired girl, dumbfounded.

"Wow," was all he said, echoing Mia's thought from trying her dress on just a couple minutes ago. Her embarrassment grew as Isaac continued to stare, until she fidgeted slightly out of nervousness. _Oh Mercury…_ was all she could think.

A burst of laughter from Ivan and Garet broke the tension in the moment as well as Isaac's trance, snapping the blonde boy back to reality. He must have had some grasp of what just happened, because Isaac quickly became extremely flustered.

"Err...I..what I meant to say…" Isaac tried to recover, his face resembling a tomato more and more every passing second. "What I was trying to say was...you...look good," he got out.

Mia felt a blush of her own taking over at the compliment, but also the awkward reaction of Isaac seeing her in the dress for the first time. "Uh..thanks?" was all Mia could trust herself to say, but she accidentally phrased it like a question.

"In the dress I mean!" Isaac felt the need to clarify in response to Mia's odd sounding reply.

Garet and Ivan were thoroughly enjoying the awkward exchange happening right in front of their faces. It was almost like Isaac and Mia were oblivious to the other two adepts failing to hold back thier laughter.

"Ok, ok…you're killing me," Ivan finally said, out of breath from laughing too much. "Enough flirting for now," he commented, breaking up the attempt at a conversation the two embarssed adepts were trying to have.

Mia and Isaac's faces turned beat red and they both glanced away from each other to break eye contact in response to Ivan chiming in. Garet was holding himself up against the far wall with his arm for support, clearly also recovering from a fit of laughter.

"I...uh...the tournament," Isaac said as all the adepts started to calm down a bit.

"Yes, we should go," Mia found herself agreeing, her mind a blur, trying to return to a sense of normalcy.

Trying to play off the embarrassment, Isaac headed down the hall with the other adepts in tow toward where the contestants needed to be. Mia felt mostly numb and just walked along with everyone else on the way to their destination. Focusing on putting one foot in front of the other, Mia watched her steps to calm herself.

Looking up only occasionally, she was finally feeling more under control when she decided to glance over at Isaac. Right after she did, she saw Isaac turn and sneak a glance back at her, causing both adepts to quickly look away again.

All Mia's efforts were for naught as the brief eye contact was enough to set off a rush of emotion again in the Mercury adept. She didn't mind the attention, but that didn't stop her from being self conscious about it. _Calm! Calm…_ Mia told herself, struggling once again to control her feelings as they walked along.

 _We must have reached the place Isaac needs to be,_ Mia realized as they group came to a stop. Looking up once again, she saw Isaac talking to a guard who was about to let him into the staging room for all the contestants.

Ivan and Garet were giving Isaac encouragement and wishing him luck. Then came Mia's turn. As Isaac moved past the two boys and finally looked at her again, Mia mustered up a smile. "Good luck Isaac," she said simply, giving him a genuine smile.

Isaac kept his eyes laser focused on Mia's face and smiled back. "I appreciate it. Thanks Mia," he answered, without the awkward feeling from their last discussion. Lingering with his smile for just a second longer, Isaac turned away and went with the guard to handle the final preparations.

As Isaac disappear through another set of doors, Garet spoke up. "Well...should we go find some seats for the event then?" he asked.

"What? Oh...yes," Mia answered slightly distracted before Ivan chimed in.

"I think we have some seats assigned for us actually thanks to Isaac being in it," the blonde boy said.

"Lead on then," Garet chimed in.

Falling in line the trio headed back through the palace towards where the arena for Colosso was set up of to the side of the main palace. Reaching the gate at the entrance, Mia could see a huge line snaking out around the grounds as visitors waited to get into the event while order was kept by the guards directing people.

Ivan led them past some of the line and up to a guard with a piece of parchment in hand at another smaller gate. As they approached, the guard look up and glanced over them. "This entrance is for people with the contestants," he explained. "If that's you, I need names and the name of the competitor."

"Ivan, Garet, and Mia here to see Isaac compete," Ivan said, rattling everyone's name off quickly.

The guard scanned the list in his hand and looked up with a smile. "Looks like everything is in order. Welcome and be sure to enjoy the event," he said, waving them through.

The VIP treatment felt weird to Mia, but she didn't comment on it as they walked through and into the arena. The sight was breathtaking and the three adepts slowed down to admire the place. Huge sections of stands surrounded the center stage where contestants would presumably be.

The whole place was an amazing feat of engineering, decorated with polished stone and beautifully carved statues along the stands, all drawing focus toward the center stage that was set up with an obstacle course and arena.

"Look at this place…" Ivan said in amazement as they found their seats in a separate spectator box set up for the contestants guests.

"It's quite the spectacle," Mia admitted, sitting down on one of the chairs next to Garet to watch the show.

Visitors from all over continued pouring into the arena as the three adepts looked on. Mia fidgeted in her chair, trying to get comfortable and eventually the stands looked packed and the trickle of people entering the arena slowed down, indicating the main event would soon begin.

"It should be interesting to see Isaac compete in this," Ivan said. "I wonder how most of the crowd will react to his psynergy…"

 _That's actually a good point considering most of them have probably never met someone who could use it before and might not know what is going on,_ Mia thought. "I suppose we'll just have to find out," she replied. Ivan continued to examine the arena and obstacle course that was set up to get an idea of what the contestants were doing, and ended up standing up again.

"Now that we found our seats, I'm going to ask one of the guards where we can expect to see Isaac once the event starts since nobody really explained it," he stated, getting nods from both Mia and Garet before walking off.

As Ivan left, Mia felt a nudge in her side. Looking over at Garet's retracting elbow, Mia gave him a questioning look. Garet grinned. "Speaking of Isaac…." he started to say.

 _Oh no...please not now,_ Mia thought, exasperated at the idea of thinking about the awkward moments fresh in her mind again.

"So in all seriousness, he got that dress for you as his prize didn't he?" Garet finished saying softly enough for just Mia to hear.

Mia sighed. _I feel like I'm never going to hear the end of it if I don't say something,_ she thought. Glancing over at the Mars adept, she relaxed her tense posture. "He did," she admitted. "I even told him not to, but he insisted," Mia added.

Garet chuckled. "So he did get it for you…" he trailed off as if thinking about something else. "You know...sometimes it's funny to sit back and watch you two," Garet stated.

"What do you mean?" Mia asked, glancing around the arena briefly to see how things were going before looking back at Garet questioningly.

"Nothing nothing…" the redhead answered. "That's something you'll have to figure out for yourself," he added smugly.

 _What is he talking about right now?_ Mia asked herself, trying to make sense of Garet's unusually cryptic statement.

Garet shook his head at her. "You seem puzzled," he observed.

"I'm just not used to you talking in such a roundabout way," Mia answered truthfully. "Usually you're so...blunt," she said.

"How rude!" Garet exclaimed quietly, feigning being offended. Mia didn't buy it and Garet dropped the act when he realized she was not going to react to it.

Instead the Mars adept went with a different tactic. "Have you wondered why Isaac got you that dress yet?" he asked.

Mia was caught off guard a bit about the question out of the blue, but recovered fairly quickly. _Not really actually...just what he told me,_ she thought.

"Well...he said it was because he thought I'd like something other than my robes for a change sometimes," Mia replied, parroting what Isaac had said to her originally.

Garet inclined his head towards Mia and gave her a skeptical look as if to ask, 'Are you sure about that?'

Instead of speaking he indicated Mia to lean closer. Trying to see what his answer would be, Mia did so and Garet cupped his hand to whisper into her ear.

"What if Isaac got the dress for you because he wanted to see you in it?" Garet whispered as softly as he could.

Mia's gut reaction was to lean away quickly deny the ridiculous notion. "Garet!" she exclaimed, hitting him lightly on the arm in an embarrassed, but playful manner.

Garet just let out a laugh at Mia's reaction and dropped the insinuation, but internally Mia's mind was at work once again.

 _What IF that was the reason he wanted to get me the dress?_ She wondered.

Mia found that question to be an interesting one to try to answer.

* * *

 _AN: This chapter took a lot longer to write than I wanted it to unfortunately because I originally began writing it with a completely different premise and ended up scrapping it and re-writing the entire thing. I think the way this one goes will ultimately be much more satisfying in the end so I hope you continue to enjoy the story!_


	10. Revelation

**Chapter 10: Revelation**

It was a relatively cool day in Weyard, and Mia could feel the chill of the wind blowing past her face as she examined the tall rock formations at the entrance to yet another desert. It had not taken long to get from Tolbi to the small town of Suhalla, which bordered a desert of the same name. The group of adepts had made a quick stop in the town to resupply, but were determined to tackle the desert in the same day and make up time chasing down Saturos and Menardi to put an end to the danger they posed to the world.

The rocks at the edge of of the desert were strangely smooth, worn down by years of relentless wind that was the hallmark of this particular desert. Mia could tell the stories were true from the whistling sounds coming from inside and the strong breezes that existed just outside it as well. Mia recalled the warning one of the villagers had given them after learning of their intent to cross the desert.

' _You can get a taste of the strong winds in the region out here, but this is nothing compared to what you'll find in the desert. Frequent sandstorms make it difficult to see and navigate in the area and it's been getting worse as of late.'_

The winds were certainly a concern as none of the adepts had any experience with sandstorms, but it was the parting words from the villager that really stuck with the Mercury adept and the rest of the group.

' _Watch out for the giant lizards that love to follow the whirlwinds.'_

The lizards already sounded quite dangerous to Mia and with the added challenges of limited visibility and insanely fast wind, it all seemed like a recipe for disaster. She opened her bags, looking over her supplies one last time to make sure she wasn't missing anything important.

 _Herbs, some food, canteens full of water, spare clothes,_ Mia counted everything off as she used her hand to dig in the bag. Pushing aside some of her clothing, a pinkish dress peaked out from the bottom where Mia had left it after Colosso night. Allowing a quick smile at the memory of Isaac picking it out for her, she pushed it too aside and continued through her belongings, ending with the psy crystal won from the Tolbi fountain game.

"I'm ready to go," Mia announced to the others, having completed her usual bag check before heading into unfamiliar territory. Isaac gave her a quick nod of acknowledgement and Mia could see Ivan rummaging through his bag out of the corner of her eye, doing a similar thing to her.

Garet called a small flame to his open palm, extinguishing and lighting it a few times over in a process he referred to as "flexing." Mia had first learned of the habit early on in their travels when Garet was doing the same thing he was now, claiming that it was a way of preparing himself mentally for the challenges ahead and ensure his psynergy was ready to go at a moment's notice. At this point, it was just something Mia had come to expect from the Mars adept and she paid it little mind.

Ivan looked up from his bags and glanced at his companions. "Sorry about that," he stated knowing he was holding them up slightly. "I have everything in order if you're ready to go," the blonde boy added.

Acknowledged by the rest of the group, Ivan slung his pack over his shoulder and followed along to the entrance of the caverns. The howling noise of the wind seemed to pick up as Mia stepped between the rocky outcroppings with the rest of the adepts, entering a smooth walled canyon that appeared to wind and twist around in a fluid motion from years of winds eroding it away.

Reaching out to touch the wall, Mia felt the smoothness of the rock beneath her fingers, something that she had never experienced until now. _It's like a sheet of paper,_ Mia observed. _There's no roughness to the edges whatsoever._

Rounding the first major bend of the crevice they were walking in, a blast of air slammed into the group, staggering the adepts and stopping them in their tracks for a brief moment as they adjusted to the harsh wind.

The whistling noise raced past Mia's ear as she braced herself, digging her feet into the ground and adapting a slightly crouched stance while leaning forward into the wind to stabilize. The other adepts did the same and waited out the strong gust of wind until it blew past and subsided somewhat.

"Wow," Isaac commented, vocalizing what they were all thinking.

"Those are some insanely strong winds," Garet added. "I was expecting harsh, but I didn't know it would be quite like that," he said.

"Apparently it's supposed to get worse still," Mia spoke up as well. "We're still in the canyons surrounded by rocks, but when the sand comes with this kind of wind as well…" she trailed off, knowing the others would understand.

Ivan shrugged, "Well we have to get through it, sandstorms or not, so hopefully it doesn't get too much worse," he said.

Feeling it was safe to continue walking, the group moved onward, approaching a tighter section of the passageway they were in, tapering down to a smaller section where the wind was blowing more fiercely. Hair being tossed in every direction, Mia could make out a small whirlwind blocking the way through the narrow section of the canyon.

The wind continued to pick up as they approached and the adepts stopped in front of it, a respectful distance away so as not to be engulfed by it. Each member of the group eyed the thing with apprehension, remembering the warning about the lizards from earlier and unsure of how to approach the roadblock.

"How can we tell if there's a monster nearby in it or not?" Ivan asked the rest of the group, talking loudly to be heard over the roar of the wind.

"I don't think there's an alternate path," Mia replied, glancing around to see if there was any way to get around the issue, but seeing none.

Garet and Isaac looked thoughtful, having also considered Mia's idea of trying to find an alternate route, but ultimately agreed there hadn't been any other way to go that they had seen so far.

"I guess the best way to tell would be to try to provoke it?" Garet suggested hesitantly. "If there actually is a monster in there, surely it would respond to being hit by some sort of psynergy…" he speculated.

"That makes sense to me," Isaac replied while Mia considered Garet's suggestion as well.

Garet shrugged. "It's the best I have, though one of you are going to need to do it," he said. Conjuring a flame in his hand again, it was quickly snuffed out by the wind. "It takes too much energy to keep a flame burning with the heavy gusts," Garet explained, his demonstration more than enough for the others to understand.

"In that case we need to hit it with something else..." Ivan started to say until Isaac spoke up.

"Water," The Venus adept stated. "Water is the best bet I think," he added, turning toward Mia.

"I agree," Ivan said in response. "The least common thing here in the desert is water so drenching them should hopefully agitate them enough to show themselves," the younger blonde boy explained, catching on quickly to Isaac's thoughts.

 _The logic makes sense,_ Mia thought, listening to the explanation. "In that case, I suppose it's up to me," she answered the three boys with a smile.

Stepping out closer to where the whirlwind continued to spin fiercely in place, Mia called upon her psynergy, feeling the latent power grow within her as she commanded it to create water in her palms. _I hope this does actually work,_ she thought, tapping into the wellspring of energy within her to shoot the torrent of water toward the whirlwind.

Isaac and Garet stood ready, stepping forward with hands on their weapons just in case. The blast of water made contact with the rapid winds and almost seemed to get absorbed into the twister. A second later, the adepts heard an ear splitting screeching noise and saw a blur of motion as something from the whirlwind raced toward the group. Diving out the the way as quickly as possible, Mia barely avoided the swift attack of the lizard that was indeed hiding in the whirlwind.

The monster came to a halt, leaving only a small gash in the fabric of Mia's robe, turning to face the adepts that had interfered with what it was doing. The scaly, orange skin of the creature looked rough and rugged in sharp contrast to the smoothness of the walls around them, with large fins on either side of it's head, covered in webbing the color of the sand surrounding them.

Isaac and Garet slowly closed in, cautiously approaching the lizard and blocking off Mia from further attacks. Not knowing what the enemy was capable of, each boy moved with more caution than normal, ready to move or react at a split second's notice to anything the monster could do.

Mia decided that attempting to match the speed of lizard would be a mistake, and left her mace hanging at her side as she instead called upon her psynergy once again to create shards of ice. Ivan recognized the speed of the creature could be a problem, but given his Jupiter alignment and attunement to the wind, he figured he could keep up and attempt to engage the monster to hold its attention.

With a hiss, the lizard lashed out at Isaac, sporting razor sharp talons that looked deadly if they landed a direct hit. Bringing his sword up to block the attack, Isaac found he was just barely able to keep up by the grace of his combat reflexes.

Mia released her spell and pelted the creature with shards of ice in retaliation and to buy Garet and Ivan chances to act.

Ivan rushed in with his blade drawn, landing a quick strike to one of the legs of the creature in an attempt to slow it down. Garet backed off, recognizing the inherit agility disadvantage he was at, and instead slowly moved to try to flank their foe.

Splitting attention to try to keep track of all the adepts, the lizard paused to take stock of its foe's positioning and gave Isaac the opening he needed. With a quick strike, Isaac severed part of the fin from the left side of the lizard's head, tearing through the fan like membrane with ease.

In pain the creature let out a shriek and unleashed a frenzy of blows in Isaac's direction, forcing the blonde boy to leap backward to avoid being impaled. That left Ivan as the only adept remaining in melee range and so the beast's focus turned to him. Fortunately, Ivan's deft movements allowed him to dodge multiple strikes in a row, enraging the creature. The lizard was obviously used to easily striking its targets, and the evasive adept proved to be a new and unpleasant experience for it.

Seeing how effective Isaac's attack was, Mia tried to carefully aim another round of ice missiles at the undamaged fin on the right side on the beast. Though the monster's attacks were lightning fast, it did not actually move much when doing so, which made Mia's job of hitting the target slightly easier.

Timing the spell as perfectly as possible, Mia unleashed the psynergy and though a couple of missiles missed to the side, more hit the target, puncturing large holes in the webbing.

The lizard screeched and staggered, sitting still as it tried to overcome the pain. Garet's flank from behind had perfect timing as he used the opening to dash in and deliver a death blow to the back of the creature's neck.

Collapsing to the ground, the lizard convulsed a few times and lay still. Retrieving his weapon logged in the nape of the neck, Garet wiped off the still fresh blood dripping off the edge.

Examining the dead lizard, Isaac made note of the potential dangers of fighting them based on the experience they just had in case it would be required again. The adepts regrouped with each other, noting that the whirlwind blocking the way had subsided significantly with the death of the lizard.

"These things must be what cause the whirlwinds to get going so fast," Ivan speculated, glancing back at the dead monster behind them and back to the cleared up path.

"I actually wouldn't be surprised," Mia commented. "I'm just glad Isaac was able to find an effective means of attack against them," she added.

The blonde boy shrugged in response. "It seemed like the weakest point so I figured it was worth a shot," he said.

"I couldn't keep up at all," Garet complained, referencing to how he had to resort to flanking tactics instead of a heads up fight. "I mean...I'd rather not be torn to ribbons by those claws, but isolating myself from you guys in order to get a hit in isn't my idea of an assured victory,"

Ivan turned toward the Mars adept. "Well, you've done it before," he stated matter of factly.

"That doesn't mean I have to like it," Garet retorted.

"I don't know...it seems like you actually might like fighting that way," Ivan insinuated. "Heck, I've seen you do that at least four times in recent memory."

Garet looked thoughtful and began silently counting on his fingers until he reached three. Shaking his head he turned back to Ivan. "Okay okay. But what was the fourth one?" he asked.

Ivan replied silently with a finger pointed back at the lizard Garet had just killed, a smug smile on the Jupiter adept's face.

"Oh come on, that one doesn't count!" Garet said, exasperated as Isaac and Mia couldn't help but to smile at the exchange despite the situation.

Ivan let out a laugh and Isaac decided to get everything back on track by getting serious again. "Well now that you know the tactic is effective and they can be slowed down with strikes to the fin like appendages, we should be able to fight them easier if we come across another one," he stated.

Deciding to keep moving, Isaac walked through the narrowed space where the whirlwind was previously, still being buffeted by strong winds, but not to the point of being unable to get through. Mia and the other two boys followed along, making their way through the gap as well and continuing along on the other side.

The further the group ventured into the desert, the harsher the winds continued to get and the sandier the terrain became. The mixture proved a difficult recipie to deal with as the winds regularly blew gusts of sand directly into the path of the group, forcing them to shield themselves from the onslaught.

Isaac used his scarf to cover his mouth and prevent himself from inhaling sand similar to how the others used their clothes the same way. Mia found herself grateful for her thick robes preventing the piercing wind from pelting her body with grains of sand. _This could be a whole lot worse without such heavy clothing,_ Mia mused as she made her way along with the rest of the group.

The adepts had stopped communicating verbally as they continued the trek, the rapidly forming sandstorms making it difficult to understand each other over the roar of the wind. Visibility was also greatly reduced as sand continued to billow around the adepts, moving in every which way as the winds shifted on a whim.

 _Fighting in these conditions would be nearly impossible,_ Mia thought, briefly recalling parts of the Lamakan Desert earlier in their journey that were just as bad, though for different reasons. _Fortunately those overgrown lizards don't seem to be too abundant out here in the open and seem to stick to the canyon like areas where there's less sand._

The group continued to press onward, through the wall of sand to try and make it to the other side of the desert. Just barely able to keep the others within visible line of sight, Mia could see Isaac and Garet stop in order to consult a map, rapidly flapping in the wind. Approaching the two boys along with Ivan, she could see Isaac and Garet pointing to the same position on the map.

Assuming that was approximately where they were at, the adepts would have to move to the east on an angle continuing south in order to reach the exit. Pointing in the direction to head, both boys agreed and looked to Ivan and Mia to make sure everyone was on the same page.

With silent nods, Garet rolled up the map and stored it back safely into his pack as the four of them kept slowly making progress through the harsh environment. The loud sound of the wind not only made it difficult to communicate with her friends, but Mia found the constant noise distracting, making it hard to think as well.

 _Is this desert another phenomenon of the imbalance of the elements?_ Mia found herself wondering as they continued on their path. It was always a similar story wherever they went. _Everywhere we go, the locals tell us that this or that 'has been getting worse recently,' and I can't help but find all of these issues lining up with the the elemental stars being taken suspicious._

The wind began picking up again, distracting the cerulean haired girl from her musings as she brought a hand up to ensure her clothes would continue to cover her mouth from the sand being blown past. The winds continued to get more and more fierce, ripping past Mia and battering each of the adepts, forcing them to stagger along as best they could.

Curious to see what the cause of the sudden gales were, Mia turned around to glance behind her. Through it was difficult to tell with the extremely limited vision available to her, she swore the winds back there were moving more rapidly than the ones ahead of the group. Sand seemed to blow everywhere, swirling around at breakneck speeds. _Somehow, I don't feel good about this,_ Mia's intuition told her.

Turning forward again, she could see her companions continuing ahead, sand still blowing everywhere, but not nearly as bad as what she saw behind the group. Concerned, Mia looked back at the sandstorm coming up on them and everything clicked into place.

 _It's not just a sandstorm...it's another whirlwind…_ Almost in awe, she raised her head to confirm what she was seeing and it was indeed a giant twister, sand blowing in circles as it spiraled around. _It's huge!_ Mia marveled, stopping for one second just to process the fact that it could get so large. _...And it's heading right toward us!_ Her mind warned as the intensity of the wind continued to pick up.

 _If there's a lizard in there...it's going to be massive,_ Mia realized, springing into action as she recognized the danger the adepts were in. Knowing that shouting would get her nowhere with all the background noise, the Mercury adept put her feet down and began to ran, trying to reach the others and alert them as quickly as possible.

Catching up to Isaac first, she nudged the blonde boy with her fist to get his attention, wordlessly looking back behind her at the rapidly approaching storm. Prompted to follow her gaze, Isaac glanced back as well and his eyes widened in shock, understanding the dire situation they could end up in.

Mia though she heard Isaac yell out a curse, but it was impossible to tell over the noise around them. In any case, she ran along with Isaac toward Ivan and Garet to warn the two boys of the impending danger.

Their warning wasn't needed however as Ivan turned around when the wind really started picking up even more, throwing Mia off balance as she struggled to keep upright and moving away from the sandstorm twister.

She couldn't make out the expression on Ivan's face, but the younger blonde boy quickly alerted Garet to the situation and both adepts sprung into action, also attempting to outrun the storm.

The whirlwind gained on the group rapidly, each passing moment multiplying the difficulty of running from it as the wind intensity continued increasing. Buffeted by the insane force of the air currents, Mia felt herself being knocked around, unable to maintain the same direction she had been going in.

The same was happening to Isaac, despite the blonde boy's best efforts as the giant sandstorm overtook the pair. In an instant, everyone else vanished from Mia's sight and she was left with only sand. The one fortunate thing was that there was no sign of a lizard yet, but the Mercury adept was left wondering about her companions and where they might be.

Stumbling to the side where she thought a wall might be, Mia sought relief from the relentless assault and hope for a hint of her fellow companions. The fierce wind continued to blow past, but Mia thought she caught sight of a brighter yellow out of the corner of her eye.

 _Isaac?_ She wondered, hoping beyond hope that it was indeed one of her companions and not some giant foe she had noticed. Doing her best to make her way toward where she saw the flash of color, Mia was rewarded by a hand reaching out toward her. Grabbing it without hesitation, she could barely make out the form of Isaac next to her as the blond boy pulled her closer toward the wall they had both been trying to get to.

With no way to communicate, the pair followed the wall, doing their best to avoid the harsh winds of the storm around them. Step after step, they continued to push on, seeing no trace of their other companions. After an agonizing few minutes, the wall curved into a recess leading to a deeper cavern.

Mia found she could finally breathe properly again, panting as she took deep breaths of the cool air, no longer being blown about by the sandstorm. Isaac seemed to be doing the same, catching his breath as the roar of the storm outside echoed around the hollowed out rock.

 _Ivan! Garet!_ Mia thought as she stood fully up again, glancing around to take in their new surroundings. The hidden recess in the wall stretched inward, continuing on as a tunnel-like structure within the rock. The sand didn't reach too deeply into the tunnel and Isaac and Mia were far enough away from it to not be bothered by the force of the storm.

The relief offered little comfort however as Mia couldn't help but to worry about their other companions. Glancing over at Isaac, who had also recovered somewhat and was frowning at the uncertain situation they found themselves in, Mia voiced her concerns.

"What happened to the other two?" Mia asked, hoping beyond hope that Isaac might know something she didn't.

"I don't know," Isaac answered simply, starting to inspect their surroundings as much as he could in the dim light. The sandstorm outside blocked most of the sunlight from reaching the interior of the cavern the pair was in, but not quite all of it, though it would only get worse as time passed and the sun continued to fade away.

It was not the answer Mia wanted to hear. Looking out toward the sandstorm, Mia gauged the possibility of heading back into it to get Garet and Ivan. _They could be lost, injured….or worse,_ Mia found herself worrying.

"No." Isaac's voice could clearly be heard as he put a stop to Mia's line of thought before it really went anywhere. The blonde boy must have been thinking about the same thing because he could tell where Mia's head was at.

"I know you want to try to find them," Isaac said, a hint of sorrow in his voice as he spoke to the cerulean haired girl. "I do too," he said, turning to look Mia in the eye. "Of course I do...but you were out there. You know what that was like...there's no way," he said, glancing toward the raging storm they had just escaped.

 _He's right,_ the rational part of Mia's mind knew, but that did not mean she wanted to give up. "You found me out there," Mia voiced, grasping at a hope that was all too distant. It was nothing more than a rationale and she knew it, just as Isaac did.

"That was blind luck," Isaac said, face like a rock, hiding whatever emotions he was feeling in the moment over his leader-like demeanor.

 _There's nothing that we could accomplish going out there,_ Mia's mind told her, knowing what Isaac said to be all too true.

"I...just wanted some piece of hope," Mia answered Isaac honestly. "I know you're right...I just…"

Isaac's stoic face cracked a bit seeing Mia's admittance that there was nothing either of them could do for Ivan or Garet at the moment. For all his efforts to hold himself together, his mindset was no better than Mia's.

Taking a few steps toward the Mercury adept, Isaac placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I know too," he said simply. "I want to go back out there and find them as well...but we would just be flailing around blindly again at that point."

Dropping the hand, both adepts took a few seconds to come to terms with the situation. It was Mia who decided to talk again first.

"So what's the plan then?" she asked. "Wait it out in here and hope for the best when we can go back out to find them again?"

"I think that's our best bet unfortunately," Isaac said. "Though we don't know how long these sandstorms last…" he mused.

Glancing toward the outside again toward the meger light of the opening, Mia caught on to the blonde boy's train of thought. "And there isn't much daylight left today either," she said. "It's a realistic possibility we may be stuck here for the night," she finished, swallowing nervously.

Isaac didn't like the sound of that prospect either, noting that the already cool air would likely continue to chill as night fell. "I'm not sure we have any other choice really," Isaac answered with a frown.

The pair fell into silence as they explored their surroundings a bit more. Occasionally a gust of wind would blow sand through the entrance and into the cavernous tunnel, but wouldn't really get more than a stone's throw from the outside. As she looked around, Mia noted a small crevice cut into the side of the tunnel as well, bypassed by the sporadic gusts of wind. _This would be the perfect place to set up our tent for the night...if we had it with us,_ she thought.

The tents were with Garet, and neither Isaac nor Mia had any idea where he had ended up in the storm. While the tunnel gave some measure of shelter as opposed to being outside, the prospect of a night without the tents did not sound pleasant.

 _No fire._ Mia stopped in her tracks realizing what the other missing commodity she was used to would be. _No Garet means no fire._

Isaac passed by and Mia decided to speak up. "It could be a very cold night tonight," she commented dryly.

Nodding his agreement, the Venus adept looked solemnly back at Mia. "Yeah...it very well could be," he said.

"You don't have any way to start a fire with what we have do you?" Mia asked, knowing that the belongings on her wouldn't be able to rectify the situation.

"...No, I don't," Isaac realized what she was getting at as he considered what he had on him and how none of it would be much use for that purpose. "We're really going to be in for it aren't we?" he asked.

"Yep," Mia replied shortly.

The temperature had been steadily dropping throughout the time the pair had spent in the cave, and it became a lot more noticeable to them after that exchange.

"At least there aren't any monsters around trying to kill us in here…" Isaac muttered, the one bit of good news they had. Though Isaac was talking mostly to himself, Mia didn't reply so the blonde boy shrugged. "I'll go see how the storm is doing I guess," Isaac told his companion, getting a quick acknowledgement from Mia before doing so.

As Mia watched him walk off, she sat down in the crevice she found earlier to await his return. It was chilly, and though her thick Imilian robes helped a bit, Mia found that it was still quite cold.

Isaac eventually did return and took a place next to Mia, sitting down against the wall alongside her. The cerulean haired girl looked over at the boy next to her, noting the lack of explanation from Isaac.

 _That must mean it's not looking good,_ Mia surmised.

Isaac waited a few moments longer, but ended up confirming Mia's suspicions. "It seems there is nothing else to do than wait it out," he said, slightly turning his head for a glance at how the Mercury adept would take the news.

It really wasn't that surprising to Mia as she already suspected what the outcome would be. "I suppose that's that then," she replied half heartedly, leaning her head back against the rock behind her and listening to the noise of the wind outside.

The pair sat together in silence a little bit longer until Mia broke it. "Where do you think Ivan and Garet are?" she asked Isaac, not bothering to look over at the blonde boy.

"Who knows?" Isaac replied, and it was clear to Mia that the unknown situation their friends were in was troubling him as well. "They should be okay though," he added as reassurance, though Mia wasn't sure if it was more for her benefit or his own.

"Well they do have the tents I suppose…" Mia said, trailing off an attempt to convince both of them that the two boys would be okay. Another few moments of silence passed with nothing but the echo of the storm keeping the pair company.

"Food?" Isaac asked, getting Mia to turn her head for the first time in the last few minutes. Isaac held some bread in his outstretched hand, one of the rations they had picked up for their journey in the town just outside the desert.

"Thanks," Mia replied, gratefully accepting the offer with a smile. Her fingers brushed against Isaac's hand as she took the bread from the blonde boy, startling her at the feeling. It was a minor thing. It meant nothing in the situation they were in, but Mia felt it was somehow significant in some other time or place.

Looking down at the bread before bringing it to her mouth, she did her best to ignore the memories of Tolbi the brief moment of contact was dredging up. Though it had only happened just the other day, they still felt distant to Mia, as if hidden behind some veil she was unable to see past. Those thoughts contained embarrassment for her, and had the same small touch happened just the day before, she might have felt a blush creeping up her face.

There was no blush though, not today. Today it was nothing more than an event that had happened, a moment in time of no real significance in any way. _It's funny how circumstances can change your perception on things,_ Mia mused. She continued to eat the piece of bread, glancing over at Isaac to see he was doing the same, unaffected by the brief touch.

As she watched, Mia noticed Isaac shiver slightly as he finished off the last of his piece of bread, noting the creeping cold that was settling in around them as the day continued to fade away. Concern was one of the feelings Mia knew she could recognize well, and she definitely felt it now.

She had been blissfully unaware of the cold for the most part until seeing Isaac shiver, but she could feel it now too; the freezing feeling penetrating her robes and goosebumps across her arms and skin. _My robes are much more suited to temperatures like this than Isaac's travel clothes,_ Mia knew. _He must be freezing!_

Knowing it was not in Isaac's nature to worry about his own well being, Mia took things into her own hands. "You're cold aren't you?" She posed the question to Isaac, already knowing what the answer would be.

Without waiting for a reply, Mia started looking through her pack to see if she had anything that would help. Meanwhile, Isaac shrugged. "It's pretty chilly in here. It must be getting closer to night," he said.

It was as good a confession as she was going to get, and pushing aside packages of herbs and other supplies, Mia found the additional clothes she had with her. Staring back at her was another set of spare robes as well as the dress Isaac got for her from the Lucky Fountain game. A brief smile graced her face, but Mia let it go as she pulled out the set of robes.

 _They're definitely not going to fit on Isaac, but perhaps he could use them as a blanket…_ she thought, turning back to the blonde boy. "Here. Try this," Mia said, draping the robes loosely over Isaac's legs and torso as he looked back at her with an appreciative smile.

"Thanks," he replied with gratitude, even though the smile had already said it all. Adjusting the robes a bit to help cover himself, Isaac frowned and looked back at Mia. "Won't you be cold though?" he asked. "It's not like your clothes will protect you that much better."

 _Yes...I am._ Mia knew, feeling the chill of their surroundings, but recognizing the intent behind Isaac's words. _I know where he's going with this…_

Isaac shook his head, recognizing what the extra seconds of silence from the cerulean haired girl meant. "Let's share it at least," he proposed holding out one end of the robe for Mia to take, knowing she would be unwilling to take the whole thing back.

Mia looked at the robe in a moment of indecision, but only hesitated for a second. She raised the corner of her mouth in a slight smirk as she fell into Isaac's true intentions. Nonetheless, she was grateful for it and moved closer to the blonde boy as he draped half the robe over her as well to keep both of them warm.

Mia could feel Isaac's warm breath on her cheek as he exhaled while adjusting the robe for her, and noticed just how close the two of them were. It made sense of course. Here they were sharing a makeshift blanket while stuck in the desert at night, but that didn't stop Mia from dwelling on their close proximity, no matter if there was a good reason for it or not.

She could feel herself heating up, but it wasn't embarrassment or a blush that was doing it. Instead it was how close she was to Isaac. His body heat was the source. It was a comforting feeling, something that drew Mia in even more. _Would he mind if I moved even closer?_ Mia wondered, looking over to see Isaac's smiling face looking back at her.

 _That was a silly question_ , Mia told herself, happily taking advantage of the blonde boy's warmth by scooting closer to him. She felt her leg touch that of Isaac's next to her, but made no effort to move it away.

Neither did Isaac. His reaction was to shift his arm and put it around the Mercury adept instead, drawing her in closer so as to share more of their body heat. Though surprised, Mia gauged the reaction as a positive one and allowed herself to snuggle up next to Isaac with a smile.

There were no pretenses here, no awkward emotions between the pair this time as they sat together in the dark tunnel, keeping each other warm with the howling of the wind outside. Despite the situation, Mia felt relaxed. It was perplexing to her given everything that had happened so far, but definitely not unwelcome.

Mia could feel Isaac's hand on her side, holding her in place next to him. _It's still cold,_ Mia thought, the cool touch a sharp contrast to the feeling of warmth on the other side of her body. _Of course it would be...it's much harder to warm up your hands after all,_ Mia knew, thinking back to plenty of examples during winter in Imil.

Without giving it any thought, Mia moved her hand on that side of her body and brought it towards Isaac's, feeling the cold touch of the boy's skin. Covering the back of Isaac's hand with her plam, Mia snaked her fingers through the gaps of Issac's own and moved his hand further in from her side more towards her stomach in an attempt to warm it up for him.

Now holding his hand in a loose grip, Mia glanced over to see the blonde boy looking at her curiously, not quite sure what to make of the move. Giving him a quick smile, Mia also leaned toward him until her head was resting against the front of Isaac's shoulder blade. Cerulean hair falling against Isaac's body, she lay there, enjoying the comfort and warmth the Venus adept provided.

Isaac glanced down at the Mercury adept leaning against him while in his arm and gave her a genuine smile with a host of emotions behind it. Moving the arm around Mia gently in a comforting motion, Isaac silently conveyed reassurance to his companion before looking away and toward the far wall of the tunnel.

"I'm glad you're here," Mia said finally in a soft voice reflecting the state of mind she was in, speaking up after a minute or so.

Isaac was unsure how to respond to her, but didn't need to since Mia spoke again. "I think…" she trailed off, seemingly lost in thought. Isaac looked back at her curiously, but she didn't look up to see his face. "I think I feel much better off with you here too," Mia added, not really explaining why she felt that way, but needing to voice the feeling anyway.

"Me too," Isaac replied, knowing the he also felt the same way. Isaac knew that somehow it would be much different without the cerulean haired girl with him.

"If we had been split up…" Mia didn't want to voice the idea further. _I would be in a completely different mindset alone,_ she knew. _I would be worrying non-stop about everyone..._

"But we aren't," Isaac answered firmly, preventing her from thinking down that path. "I'm here...you're here…" he squeezed Mia's fingers gently in another comforting gesture. "We'll make it through this together," he said.

 _...And find Garet and Ivan after the storm blows past,_ Mia finished in her head, knowing what the blonde boy was thinking but had left unsaid.

"They'll be okay right?" Mia asked, looking for reassurance.

"They're tough. I'm sure they will be," Isaac replied confidently, knowing exactly what she was talking about. "They're probably in the exact same situation as us right now," he added.

Mia looked up and over at Isaac. "I hope it's not the EXACT same situation," she said with a grin, referencing the fact that she was, for all intents and purposes, in Isaac's arms.

Isaac laughed. "Okay, maybe not the exact same," he conceded with a smile as the image of Ivan and Garet sharing a blanket came to mind.

The laughter was a refreshing thing to hear and for a moment Mia felt like it was any other night on the side of the road, ready for watch and a long uneventful night. She closed her eyes, her head still resting against Isaac, and took comfort in the blonde boy's steady breathing.

Mia was acting differently than usual tonight and she could tell. Normally she would be worried about Ivan and Garet, stressing out over where they were and if they were okay, but it seemed like more of a distant issue to her right now.

 _Is it wrong of me?_ Mia wondered. _Even not knowing what happened to our other companions, I still feel at ease...like everything is okay._ She felt guilty, as if it was a betrayal of her friends to not be focused on them.

 _Isaac's embrace is just so nice though…_ she thought, conscious of the boy's arm still around her. Mia picked her head up from Isaac's shoulder to look over at the companion she had spent most of her time with over the course of their journey.

 _His messy hair, handsome face, broad shoulders…_ She wasn't quite sure where those thoughts had just originated from, but Mia didn't recoil from them as she had in the past under the pretense of being 'too busy' or 'figuring it out later.' Instead she found the thoughts to be quite pleasant and felt a sense of warmness in her chest as she recalled the things that drew her to the blonde boy.

 _He has a good sense of humor too,_ Mia remembered, smiling as she thought about the laughs they'd shared together. _I love how he's always there for me too. Isaac knows how to cheer me up or reassure me about everything._

Her eyes traced Isaac's jawline to his chin where she looked up slightly and gazed at his lips. _They look so soft...perfect for kissing…_ Mia found herself thinking, slipping further into the untapped emotions she had hidden away over the course of their journey.

"Is something wrong?" a voice asked, breaking Mia out of her daze as she noticed Isaac had caught her staring for an extended period of time.

"Nothing!" Mia replied with a flustered smile of reassurance as she nestled herself back up against Isaac's shoulder to avoid eye contact. She could feel her heart beating rapidly in her chest with the last thought in her head burning in her mind. _Perfect for kissing?!_ She asked herself incredulously, staring off at the far wall. Isaac replied with some neutral answer like 'Okay,' or something, but Mia didn't really hear it while lost in her mind.

 _Do I want to kiss Isaac?_ Mia asked herself more directly, hoping that Isaac could not feel the rapid pace of her heart. The warm feeling Mia had been experiencing up until then was more of a bonfire now, as a burning desire she had ignored and locked away began to surface.

There was no more running from her feelings, no more pretending they didn't exist. _Yes._ Mia admitted to herself, feeling a blush in her cheeks as she finally admitted the truth. _Yes I do...but more so than that...I want Isaac to kiss me._

The thought wasn't even embarrassing to her. For Mia it simply felt natural to think about the blonde boy that way. It was like a dam within her finally broke. Memories, moments in time, came flooding out. She remembered Isaac on a hill in the morning sun, Isaac with her at the oasis in the Lamakan Desert, Isaac teaching her how to wield a mace more effectively, countless nights spent together in a tent under the stars, and the night with Isaac in Tolbi most of all.

 _I was so blind,_ Mia thought. _So blind to what was right in front of me… The clues were there, I just never pieced them together..._

It was a warm fuzzy feeling from deep within the cerulean haired girl as the puzzle finally fit. _When did it happen?_ She asked herself, holding tightly to Isaac's hand as she sat there with him. _When did my feelings make the jump from friend and companion to the love I finally noticed now?_

It was not an easy question to answer and Mia wasn't sure it was any one moment that pushed her over the edge. _Perhaps it was just a collection of events over time...each one a building block that helped create something new…_

Though she was curious how her feelings had originated, her mind really wasn't in a good state for pondering the past at the moment. With the knowledge that she had fallen for Isaac, Mia allowed herself to stop and just enjoy the blissful feeling that accompanied the revelation.

Though she knew Isaac was next to her for the purpose of warmth, Mia couldn't help but think about how it meant so much more to her. _I could get used to this_ , the Mercury adept thought as she nuzzled Isaac's shoulder with a content smile on her face. _I would not mind moments like this more often,_ she found herself thinking.

The Venus adept glanced at Mia's face after feeling the movement. She seemed to be positively glowing, with one of the happiest smiles he had seen on her in a while as she lay against him with her eyes closed.

Unsure what exactly it meant, but finding her happiness contagious, Isaac felt a smile pop up out of nowhere. He was used to being around Mia and had certainly stumbled upon times where he found her to be either cute or pretty, but tonight was somehow different.

Tonight she was adorable.


End file.
